NCJ Number
130018
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 39 Issue: 4 Dated: (April 1991) Pages: 18-22
Date Published
1991
Length
5 pages
Annotation
Singapore's police force is a highly-trained, professional service of 7,480 officers who are equipped with the latest advances in modern policing.
Abstract
In 1950, labor and racial unrest saw the creation of special riot squads which evolved into the Police Task Force. With the separation of Singapore from Malaysia in 1965, the police force began to place greater emphasis on efficiency and service through more qualified recruits and enhanced training. The Police Training School, founded in 1929, was upgraded in 1969 to the Police Academy. Full-time national service was introduced into the police force in 1975. The police force now operates on a budget of $330 million and serves a population of more than 2.6 million. A graduate degree is required for entry into the senior officer ranks, while junior officers must have three high school credits and no physical impairments. Basic training is conducted at the Police Academy, and advanced training is provided in other countries. The police force's seven divisions are based on demography, crime rates, and building and road densities. Community involvement in policing is stressed with Neighborhood Watch, Crime Watch, a police boys' club program, and the Police Sports Association. This community involvement has paid off; of 17,979 arrests made in 1990, about 40 percent were accomplished with the help of the public. Also in 1990, the police force solved 75 percent of 44 reported murders and 57 percent of 112 reported rapes. Communications and computer equipment used by the police force are described.