Thanking our ‘invisible’ force
SPEECH BY MELVIN YONG (RADIN MAS SMC) ON THE MOTION COMMERMORATING 200 YEARS OF THE SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE ON 3 AUG 2021
Mdm Deputy Speaker, thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak on this Motion to honour the important contributions of the Singapore Police Force and its many officers.
Madam, I first joined SPF in 1995 and served 20 wonderful years before retiring in 2015. Police work is challenging, not simply because the job of keeping Singapore safe and secure never ends, but also because most of the work that our Police officers do daily goes unseen, often unknown and, hence, unrecognised.
Today, I would like to join my parliamentary colleagues in honouring the tireless efforts made by our Police officers, particularly, the invisible work that is done to keep Singapore and Singaporeans safe every day and every night.
Let me start by thanking our Police intelligence officers, a role which is never meant to be thrust into the spotlight.
As the name suggests, the primary role of an intelligence officer is to provide intelligence: critical information that can help solve a case or prevent a harm from happening. But this is not as simple as it sounds. Intelligence work can mean poring through large amounts of data, analysing heaps of spreadsheets and documents and reviewing long hours of CCTV footages or it could mean going undercover for weeks or laying in ambush for days, sometimes to no avail.
As a former Police commander, I valued very much the hard work and contributions of our Police intelligence officers. For obvious reasons, I cannot say more on what they do but their efforts are tremendous but often unknown to the public. So, today, in this House, I would like to extend my appreciation to all the dedicated men and women in our Police intelligence service who work quietly behind the scene all these years.
Next, I would like to highlight another vital but often unseen policing unit, the Police Coast Guard (PCG). They patrol and protect Singapore’s territorial waters, a job that is often confused with our more famous Navy counterparts.
As an island state, threats from our territorial waters are plentiful and our PCG officers deal with a variety of challenges every day, and especially so in the darkness of night, ranging from piracy attacks to detecting and deterring illegal persons from swimming across the sea to enter or leave Singapore. No matter how choppy the waters are, we can always count on the Singapore Police Coast Guard to keep our waters safe.
Moving inland, I would like to commend the work of another important Police unit which has kept a low-profile presence since it was established in 1949, the Gurkha Contingent.
The first batch of Gurkha officers arrived in Singapore in March 1949. Known for their courage, loyalty and paramilitary prowess, they guard our vital installations and provide security coverage for major events held in Singapore.
The Gurkhas were first called to the frontlines in the 1950s to deal with several major civil unrest such as the Maria Hertogh riots and the Hock Lee Bus riots. They were also deployed during Konfrontasi in the 1960s. More recently, the Gurkhas were featured widely for helping to secure the historic meeting in Singapore between US President Trump and North Korean Leader Kim in 2018.
Our Gurkha officers continue to be an important part of the SPF family and I would like to pay a special tribute here for their contributions in keeping Singapore safe for more than 70 years.
Madam, that same year in 1949, then-Commissioner of Police RE Foulger recruited the first batch of women Police officers. Before this, it was recorded in books that the untrained wives of Police constables were employed to help check women accused and were paid a dollar for conducting each search. It was a dollar per search.
In the initial years, the women officers were trained to handle female offenders, record statements from victims of sexual offences, and help counsel female juvenile delinquents. Since their entry into the Force, our women Police officers have constantly pushed against boundaries to reach greater heights in what used to be a male-dominated profession.
Today, we have close to 2,000 women officers in the SPF, with many serving in leadership positions, taking command of specialist units, and leading crucial staff and operational departments.
Madam, our policewomen hold multi-faceted roles at home too. They are mothers, wives and daughters. In addition to coping with the heavy workload that comes as a Police officer, many of our policewomen must cope with a second shift when they go home. Despite these challenges, they continue to serve and lead with distinction, and keep Singapore safe and secure.
Incidentally, there is a Motion after this on Empowering Women. Our Policewomen have been excellent role model of breaking barriers and I ask the House to join me in thanking and honouring all our passionate women Police officers, both past and present.
Madam, the contributions of our volunteer Police officers cannot be neglected too.
The Volunteer Special Constabulary (VSC) scheme was formed in 1946 to augment the ranks of regular Police officers after the end of World War II. It started with only 150 volunteers, and the VSC has since grown to over 1,000 volunteer Police officers, supporting the SPF in various operational roles.
It is virtually impossible today to tell a VSC officer apart from a regular Police officer from the uniform he wears or the equipment he carries because they are dressed and equipped the same as their regular counterparts.
Unknown to many, most of our VSC officers have regular day jobs and volunteer for Police duties at night and during the weekends. They juggle their full-time job and family commitments, on top of patrolling our streets and our territorial waters. The sacrifices of our volunteer Police officers have helped to keep Singapore’s crime rate low over the decades.
Mdm Deputy Speaker, I have spoken at length about the various roles within the Police Force that might be invisible to members of the public. Let me now highlight the need to safeguard the invisible trust that Singaporeans have in the SPF.
According to the Gallup 2020 Global Law and Order Report, Singapore has topped an index of public perceptions of law and order for the sixth year in the row. An extraordinary 97% of us feel safe walking alone at night, an activity that cannot be taken for granted in many countries.
Minister Shanmugam once noted in 2017 that many law enforcement agencies around the world envy the level of faith and trust that Singaporeans have in our Police Force. I agree fully.
And the high levels of trust have stood the test of time. A 2020 survey conducted by the Institute of Policy Studies also found that 87% of respondents were confident or very confident with the SPF, the highest level of confidence in police globally.
But we must not take this for granted. Malicious actors have and will continue to engage in efforts to damage the image and credibility of the SPF. Policing work is no longer just about fighting crimes. The Police must do all it can to always safeguard the trust that Singaporeans have placed on our men and women in blue.
Madam, I have spent more than half my working life serving as a police officer. I know how tough, difficult, and exhausting the work can be. But I have also benefited immensely from the training, the experiences and the many great friendships that I have made throughout my time in the Force and I can see so many of them here with us today in the Gallery.
The values that the SPF has ingrained in me — Courage, Loyalty, Integrity and Fairness — continue to guide me as I serve the community in a different role today. As the saying goes, once a Police officer, always a Police officer. It has truly been an honour to have worked alongside so many dedicated Policemen and Policewomen.
Madam, the Singapore Police Force has come a long way since its humble beginnings as a 12-man team more than 200 years ago. As one of Singapore’s oldest institutions, it has met and overcome many great difficulties throughout its long history. No matter what challenges the future may bring, I know that the SPF will continue to keep Singapore and all of us safe and secure for many more years to come.
To SPF, thank you very much.
