Da Nang police to remove language barrier, better respond to foreign violators

With about 3.1 million foreigners visiting the city this year, crime has turned increasingly varied to include theft and drug-related incidents, director Vu Xuan Vien of Da Nang Police Department said at a conference Thursday.

With few details on specific programs, city police will be trained to better respond to crimes committed by foreigners by the third quarter of 2020, Vien said.

Da Nang authorities have apprehended 556 foreign lawbreakers this year alone, 279 more than in 2018, said Phan Thanh Long, head of the legal and compliance department at the municipal People’s Council.

Many foreigners pick the city as a place to hide from the laws, he said.

In Vietnam, language is usually the main barrier in dealing with foreign violators. HCMC traffic police confirmed questioning a foreigner typically takes 60-80 minutes, much longer than with a local suspect.