Saigon Cops Harsh

I approached the Ho Chi Mind (Saigon) Police Headquarters.  It was large and imposing, walled and defended like a fort. The first thing that happened was one of the officers at the main gate ran and demanded he leave at once with a good amount of cussing.  He was surprized when I stepped out of the cab. The cab nearly burnt rubber getting out of there,

We walked back to the guard house where there were two other officers in a defensive stance. None of them spoke any English and I know zero Vietnamese, We were at an impass with them gestering me to leave immediately and me not leaving. They had automatic rifles.  

I did not. You could tell that it was incedulous that I did not just follow their commands like the cab driver, like everyone else.  I tried to explain that I was an American (which they could plainly see) retired cop, which took them a few minutes to understand.

Finally, the officer with three stripes in the gate house pulled out his phone with a translation app and we talked back and forth that way. After several refusals to enter they finally called their supervisor.  He immediately text me on the officers phone that they did not allow diplomatic visits without going through their diplomatic service.  He sugested that I contact the U.S. Embassy to scheldule a formal meeting some time in the future.

This is an internet photo, not mine

I continued to talk back and forth them through their phone app before getting the stop order from somewhere inside.  There were video cameras everywhere. I already knew that it was not allowed, anywhere in Vietnam but, I asked them and they seemed quite shocked and said no. They did apologise for not allowing it.  I gave them a UP Police patch and they were happy to receive it.

The Ho Chin Minh City Police are a part of the military and. they take that very seriously.  Their uniforms are esincally they same as the Army Their chief is actually a General.

Main gate

This is also not mine but it gives what the current uniform is like.

 It was a short visit and I didn't get to go inside and the only photos were taken from in the cab as I left to go back to the ship before it left.

This folding gate is on a track.  Up close it looks like it could stop a Mac truck.

one in garnled