Chapter III
ORGANIZATION OF THE PEOPLE'S PUBLIC SECURITY FORCES
Article 17.- The organizational system of the People's Public Security Forces
1. The organizational system of the People's Public Security Forces is composed of:
a/ The Public Security Ministry;
b/ Public Security Departments of provinces and centrally-run cities;
c/ Public Security Offices of rural districts, urban districts, provincial towns and provincially-run cities;
d/ Public Security Offices of communes, wards and townships.
2. Commune public security offices constitute a part-time armed force, playing the core role in "the entire population protects the Fatherland's security" movement, ensuring social security, order and safety at grassroots levels and submit to the direct and comprehensive leadership of local Party Committees, the management and administration by commune People's Committees, and the professional direction and guidance by superior public security offices.
The organization, operation, equipment, uniform, training, fostering of, and regimes and policies toward, commune public security force shall be provided for by law.
3. Basing himself/herself on the security and order requirements and within the ambit of his/her tasks and powers, the Public Security Minister shall decide on establishment of public security stations and offices as well as independent units to be disposed in necessary geographical areas.
Article 18.- Specific functions, tasks and powers, and organizational structures of the People's Public Security Forces
1. The Government shall specify the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Public Security Ministry.
2. The Public Security Minister shall specify the functions, tasks and powers, and organizational structures of the general departments and units attached to the Ministry, units attached to general departments, public security departments of provinces or centrally-run cities, public security offices of rural districts, urban districts, provincial towns or provincially-run cities, and other units in the People's Public Security Forces.
Article 19.- Commanders in the Public Security Forces
1. The Public Security Minister is the person of the highest command in the People's Public Security Forces.
2. Subordinate public security commanders shall be answerable to superior public security commanders for the organization and operation of public security units they are in charge of. Local public security commanders shall be answerable to superior public security commanders, Party Committees and administrations of the same level.
3. People's public security officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers of higher positions or higher ranks shall be superiors of those of lower positions or ranks. Officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers of higher positions but of the equal or lower ranks shall be superiors of those of the equal or higher ranks but lower positions.