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MRT stations to have armed police officers on patrol By Dominique Loh |
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Channel NewsAsia SINGAPORE: Come August, there will be added security on MRT trains and
stations. Armed police officers on patrol will complement the existing MRT security
guards and CCTV
monitoring systems.
The new MRT Policing Unit was one of the initiatives announced
by Home Affairs Minister Wong Kan Seng at the annual Police Workplan seminar.
Currently, armed police officers are sometimes being deployed on the busy streets
of downtown Singapore. Mr Wong said: "In the current security situation, the Police
Force has also assumed additional responsibilities. This demand on Police resources
will not decline or diminish in the foreseeable future." "In fact, the Force will
need to do more with the same resources. There is potential in finding new areas
of deployment to maximise Police NS (National Service) resources," he added. "The
recent establishment of a MRT Policing Unit, which will be operational in August
this year, is a positive and bold initiative," said Mr Wong. "It represents a
new avenue for the deployment of Police NS (full time) resources in conjunction
with regulars. It gives them another meaningful stake in safeguarding the security
of Singapore," he said. Mr Wong also noted that security forces around the world
are facing complex changes, threats ranging from cyber-space, money laundering
to terrorism. But Singaporeans have mixed reactions about the added security on
trains. "It would give people a wrong impression that there's something we should
be afraid of. I don't think there's a need, actually," said a member of the public.
"If you have armed Police at MRT stations, people would think 'oh! what's happening?',
it's not a good idea. But they can make it not so obvious, have plainclothes officers
carrying weapons discreetly," said another. "It'll be quite safe with the armed
officers around. We'll have a sense of security,
being protected by the government," said a third. Another initiative announced
by Mr Wong is that the Criminal Investigation Department is streamlining its bomb
and explosives unit. Five dedicated branches will be set up to tackle, among others,
investigation, training and data collection. Gerald Lim, assistant director of
the Bomb and Explosive Investigation Division, said: "It (the division) is to
investigate all forms of explosive device incidents. Apart from that, it also
manages training of officers, writes doctrines, researches into the development
of capabilities, liaises with local and foreign partners and ensures we have capabilities
of doing the forensic investigations." The Police are also enhancing their capabilities
in the event of a chemical and biological attack. "For instance, frontline Police
officers are now equipped with Bomb Suppression Blankets for use before the arrival
of bomb disposal experts. All Police Fast Response Cars are also equipped with
full personal protection equipment to enable officers to handle biological or
chemical threats," said Minister Wong. "We have also purchased escape hoods to
facilitate the evacuation of civilians from the affected zone. The establishment
of the Bomb and Explosive Investigation Division further strengthens the post-blast
investigation capabilities of the Force," added Mr Wong. The Home Affairs Minister
said another area that should be critically reviewed is the loan shark syndicates.
"They are not just unlicensed money lenders; they must be viewed as organised
criminal syndicates which systematically use criminal intimidation and harassment
in their trade," he said. The activities of loan sharks have been in the news
for apparently targeting innocent families who haven't borrowed money from them.
The Police Workplan seminar isn't just for police officers of all ranks to meet
and plan for the future. More than 100 guests from private sector partners were
also present to give feedback and input to the Police Force in developing future
technologies and capabilities. "Increasingly we see the need to engage the private
sector and get its feedback and input, so that for the measures we adopt on the
ground, we take into account their concerns and their interest. The workplan is
an opportunity for us to do that," said Senior Assistant Commissioner Aubeck Kam,
director of operations. - CNA/ir from Channel
News Asia. |
