The Singapore Police Force (SPF) kicked off the first event in its series of Police Bicentennial (SPF200) events with the SPF200 Run on 10 January 2020.
The SPF200 Run commemorates 200 years of policing in Singapore and symbolises SPF’s enduring commitment to be a Force for the Nation, safeguarding Singapore 24 hours every day. Commissioner of Police Hoong Wee Teck flagged off the SPF200 Run at 10am at the Special Operations Command Base in Queenstown.
More than 300 participants, involving current and retired police officers, civilian staff, Police National Servicemen, Volunteer Special Constabulary officers and Citizens On Patrol volunteers, will complete a total relay distance of 200km in 24 hours. They will run past the sites of 30 past and present SPF establishments across the island, such as the site of the first ever police station and the Old Police Academy. The SPF200 Run will also raise funds for the Community Chest and support Singaporeans in need, through donations from past and present SPF officers as a show of support for the participants.
President Halimah Yacob will flag off the final leg of the SPF200 Run at the Marina Barrage on 11 January 2020 at 9am. More than 3,200 SPF officers and their family members, as well as beneficiaries from the Community Chest, will join in for the final lap of the run which ends at the OCBC Square at the Singapore Sports Hub, where the SPF200 Police Family Day Carnival will be held. President Halimah Yacob will then officially launch the Police Bicentennial (SPF200) at the Carnival.
Commissioner of Police Hoong Wee Teck said, “The officers are completing a running relay of 200km in 24 hours across Singapore to mark 200 years of policing in Singapore, and the 24-hour is symbolic of the SPF’s commitment to keep Singapore safe and secure every day. We kick-start the Police Bicentennial year with this SPF200 Run to also raise funds for the Community Chest and support Singaporeans in need, through donations from past and present SPF officers. We thank the community for their continued support and trust over the years, and we look forward to having the community at our various SPF200 commemorative events in 2020.”
Please refer to Annex A for more information on the SPF200 Run route.
Please refer to Annex B for more information on the series of SPF200 commemorative events.
For more information, please visit https://www.police.gov.sg/SPF200.
Commissioner of Police Hoong Wee Teck and Commander Special Operations Command, Senior Assistant Commissioner of Police David Scott Arul unveiling the SPF200 Run torch.
ANNEX A
POLICE ESTABLISHMENTS – IN ORDER OF THE ROUTE
1.Special Operations Command (SOC) Base
The start location of the run, the SOC Base, traces its history back to 1952, when a Riot Squad comprising 60 officers was formed. This was after the Maria Hertogh riots in 1950, which showed the lack of adequate measures at that time in containing serious incidents of public disorder. Today, the SOC is the strategic force of SPF. It consists of three main units - the Police Tactical Unit, the Special Tactics and Rescue Unit and the Police K9 Unit.
2. Police Coast Guard (PCG)
The PCG combines marine police and coast guard functions. Its duties include law enforcement and search and rescue operations, with round-the-clock patrols conducted in Singapore's territorial waters from its four bases. Its current headquarters are at Brani Regional Base at Pulau Brani, Singapore.
3. Former Police HQ (Phoenix Park)
The Police HQ was located at Block G of Phoenix Park between 1977 and 1989. Thereafter, it was located at the Lower Barracks at Eu Tong Sen Street and then to the Upper Barracks of Pearl’s Hill.
4. New Phoenix Park (Police HQ)
The current Police HQ is the operation base of multiple core departments in SPF, including the Police Logistics department, the Manpower department, and the Public Affairs department. The Police HQ moved with the Ministry of Home Affairs to New Phoenix Park at Irrawaddy Road on 18 August 2001, after the latter moved from Phoenix Park.
5. Junior Officers’ Mess
The Junior Officers’ Mess was set up to meet the social and recreational needs of officers in SPF. The aim of the Mess is to provide a cordial and harmonious environment for SPF officers to enjoy and take pride in, and to promote cohesion and encourage “esprit de corps” among them.
6. Old Police Academy
The Old Police Academy was SPF’s former training school. It was completed in 1929. With its electric lights and proper sanitation fittings, it was considered modern for its time. The academy saw thousands of recruits walk through its iconic gate until operations shifted to the Home Team Academy in Choa Chu Kang in December 2005.
7. Senior Police Officers’ Mess (SPOM)
SPOM was built by the British Government’s Public Works Department in 1931 within the enclave of spacious black-and-white bungalows in the Mount Pleasant area. The rich heritage of SPF is preserved in the many artefacts displayed around SPOM.
8. Security Command (SecCom)
An abortive assassination in 1950 on Sir Franklin Gimson, then Governor of the Straits Settlement of Singapore, led to the birth of the VIP squad. The squad was subsequently renamed Security Branch, with about 30 detective sergeants dedicated to protect the then-Chief Minister and the Legislative Assemblymen. In 2000, the Security Branch was renamed Police Security Command (SecCom), which is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of all Cabinet Ministers and visiting foreign dignitaries.
9. Ang Mo Kio Police Division HQ
One of SPF’s seven land divisions, the Ang Mo Kio Police Division was established in 1965. It moved to its present location from Paya Lebar in 1987 to better meet its operational needs for its area of coverage, which includes mature housing estates such as Ang Mo Kio, Hougang and Serangoon. It also oversees young but rapidly-developing residential estates like Sengkang and Punggol.
10. Woodlands Police Division HQ
Woodlands Police Division is SPF’s seventh and newest land division. It commenced operations on 25 November 2018 and was officially opened by Minister for Home Affairs and Minister for Law Mr K Shanmugam on 12 March 2019. Its area of coverage includes housing estates such as Woodlands, Yishun and Sembawang. Under SPF’s transformation journey, Woodlands Police Division is the first Police Division to introduce redesigned workflow processes and tech-enabled systems to enhance the provision of policing services to the public.
11. Police K-9 Unit
The Police K-9 unit was set up in 1955. Formerly known as the Police Dog Unit (PDU), it is a specialist force under the direct command of the SOC. It specialises in the training of police dogs in explosive detection, drug detection, guard duty, and anti-crime operations, amongst others. The Singapore K-9 unit works in close collaboration with the rest of SPF and the Home Team.
12. Home Team Academy (TRACOM)
The Home Team Academy is the training institute for the various departments of the Ministry of Home Affairs, including SPF. It was officially opened in September 2006, replacing the Old Police Academy at Thomson Road. All SPF officers, from PNSFs to Senior Officers, undergo training in the Academy.
13. Jurong Police Division HQ
The Jurong Police Division was first known as the Rural West Division, and operated from a standalone building located at Bukit Panjang. As the communities in the West grew, separate police posts were also built in Ama Keng, Mandai and Kranji. Following Singapore’s independence, the Western part of Singapore underwent rapid rural, industrial and urban development and the Rural West Division subsequently expanded to meet the challenges of policing a larger population. It now serves a residential population of over 730,000 residents, located in Boon Lay and Tuas in the West as well as Bukit Batok, Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Panjang in the Northwest. It also covers major industrial areas including a long coastal area in Tuas lined with over 100 sea-fronting companies.
14. Clementi Police Division HQ
Clementi Police Division was first formed in 1964, with its headquarters at Queenstown Police Station. Due to changing demographics and the rapid development of its jurisdictional area, the divisional headquarters shifted to its present location in Clementi in 1987. It was the first division in which the Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) system was trialled and implemented, at Queenstown NPC.
15. Protective Security Command (PROCOM)
Commissioned in July 2016, PROCOM is a specialist police unit that protects sensitive infrastructure and locations and provides security at key national events. It was established to further enhance SPF’s protective security capabilities and to enhance the operational experience and readiness of National Service and NS officers.
16. First Police Station (Near the mouth of Singapore River)
This is the site of the first police office which was built in 1820. The first police chief, Francis James Bernard also lived in the vicinity and was known to have used his house as a makeshift office until the police office was built. It represents the humble beginnings of the Force, where Singapore’s early administrators had to make do with limited resources to manage the rapidly growing settlement. The fact that the police office and nearby courthouses were among the first buildings in the settlement is a testament that the maintenance of law and order laid a strong foundation for the development of Singapore.
17. Former Traffic Police Headquarters (Maxwell Chamber Suites)
The former Traffic Police Headquarters was built in 1928 to provide living quarters for police officers and their families. The 161m-long building was constructed as part of Inspector-General Harold Fairburn’s plan to boost the facilities of the Force. The building was designed by Frank Dorrington Ward, who was the Government Architect of the Straits Settlements Public Works when Singapore was under British rule (he also designed the former Supreme Court and former Old Hill Street Police Station). From 1930 to 1999, the building was used as the Traffic Police Headquarters. In 2007, the Urban Redevelopment Authority gazetted the premises as a conservation building. In 2019, the Ministry of Law revamped the building as the Maxwell Chambers Suites.
18. Central Police Division HQ
.The Central Police Division was established in 1867 and is the oldest Police Division in Singapore. The Central Police Division’s jurisdiction covers over 27 square kilometres, which includes the Central Business District, and has a residential population of around 280,000
19. Former Upper Barracks and Police HQ (Pearl’s Hill Terrace)
century. The Upper Barracks was built together with the Lower Barracks in 1934 as part of Inspector-General Harold Fairburn’s infrastructural program to expand police presence. thPearl’s Hill was the site where police operations, especially those related to the maintenance of public order, were based in the early 20
The Upper Barracks was originally built to house married officers from the Sikh Contingent. After the Sikh Contingent was disbanded, the Radio Division moved into both the Upper and Lower Barracks (which housed non-married officers from the Sikh Contingent) to set up and maintain telecommunications across the island. This allowed officers to better respond to public calls and emergencies.
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Upper Barracks served as the nerve centre for police communications. In 1956, the former Combined Operations Room was constructed to provide swifter and more efficient responses to emergencies. These helped to enhance coordination of police operations during the Emergency period (1948-1960).
20. Former Lower Barracks and CID (Eu Tong Sen Street)
The former Lower Barracks at Eu Tong Sen Street was built in 1934 together with the Upper Barracks. The building exerted a strong police presence then as it towered over the low-rise shophouses in the Chinatown area. The building provided lodging for non-married officers from the Sikh Contingent from the 1930s until it was disbanded in 1946. It was subsequently occupied by the Radio Division and also served as the Police HQ. It was also used by the Ministry of Social Affairs from the 1970s to 1980s. The Criminal Investigation Department was its last occupant.
21. Old Hill Street Police Station (current Ministry of Communications and Information, and Ministry of Culture Community and Youth)
This building was built as part of an infrastructural expansion program in the 1930s under Inspector-General Harold Fairburn. It was known as the ‘Police Skyscraper’ and represented the achievements and legacy of the Straits Settlements Police Force. It was built in the heart of the city to allow for quicker police response to the many crimes which occurred in nearby Chinatown. SPF moved out of the building in 1980 to make way for other government departments.
22. Former Beach Road Police Station
The former Beach Road Police Station was constructed in the early 1930s, in a colonial style, as part of expansion plans for the Police under Inspector-General Harold Fairburn. The building, as well as the compound behind it, was also used for officers’ accommodation until the 1970s, when the policy of providing accommodation for officers was phased out. The building served as the Central Division Headquarters until 1988. The station was marked as a historic site by the National Heritage Board in 2003.
23. Tanglin Police Division HQ
The Tanglin Police Division oversees the safety and security of the central region in Singapore. The division’s policing jurisdiction includes residential estates in Bukit Timah, Bishan and Toa Payoh, as well as hotels and embassies. The division is also responsible for upholding law and order in popular retail and entertainment districts such as Orchard Road and Clarke Quay.
24. Gurkha Contingent
The Gurkha Contingent (GC) is a line department of SPF, consisting primarily of Gurkhas from Nepal. The GC officers are known for their discipline and dedication to their tasks. The principal role of the contingent was to be a special guard force, and it is currently employed as a counter-terrorism force.
25. Traffic Police
As Singapore’s road infrastructure continues to develop and evolve, the role of Traffic Police has progressed from manually controlling traffic at road intersections before the introduction of automated traffic lights, to now safeguarding the safety of all road users, with the aid of modern technology. They strive to enhance the safety of road users through education, engagement, and enforcement.
26. Public Transport Security Command
The Public Transport Security Command is a specialised police unit of SPF. It was first established as the Police MRT Unit (PMU) in 2005 as a component unit of the SOC, in response to the need for greater security in public transport operations due to heightened security concerns. On 15 August 2009, the unit was upgraded into a separate specialist division, and took its present name.
27. Police National Service Department
The Police National Service Department (PNSD) consists of various branches, namely NSmen Personnel, NSF Personnel, Planning and Provost & Discipline. The different branches work together on training, deployment, discipline, welfare and benefits for the PNS population.
28. Former Joo Chiat Police Station (Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong)
The former Joo Chiat Police Station was built in 1928 and served as the Divisional HQ for the eastern region of Singapore after the Second World War until 1988. The building was gazetted for conservation in 1993.
29. Bedok Police Division HQ
The Bedok Police Division has a jurisdiction that covers approximately 114 square kilometres of the Eastern sector of Singapore. The building became operational when the former Joo Chiat Police Station at East Coast Road closed in 1984. Bedok Division serves about 800,000 residents in private and public housing estates such as Geylang, Bedok, Marine Parade, Simei, Tampines and Pasir Ris. The division's jurisdiction also covers several industrial estates, as well as other commercial, sporting and recreational facilities, which include the Singapore Sports Hub, East Coast Park, Our Tampines Hub and Downtown East.
30. Airport Police Division (APD)
The Airport Police Division (APD) has the mandate to protect the security, regularity and efficiency of international civil aviation at both Changi and Seletar Airports, and safeguards against acts of unlawful interference aimed at passengers, personnel, aircraft, airport terminals or aircraft navigation installations and equipment. In carrying out its roles, APD maintains close relationships with partners, such as the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Immigration & Checkpoints Authority and other government agencies, as well as the Changi Airport Group, airline operators, ground handling agencies and other private organisations operating within the airports.
ANNEX B
- SPF200 Exhibition
The SPF200 Exhibition – “Frontier Town to Safest City” will be held at the National Museum of Singapore from 6 February to 17 May 2020. From our early roots as a 12-man team to the professional force today, the exhibition showcases how SPF has evolved to tackle the ever-changing landscape to keep Singapore safe and secure.
- SPF200 Documentary - “A Force for the Nation, 200 Years of Policing in Singapore”
The SPF200 Documentary documents the journey and milestones of SPF from 1820 to 2020. SPF has played an integral role in Singapore’s nation building throughout the years. This did not happen by chance and is the result of the hard work and sacrifices made by police officers across generations. Moving ahead, SPF will continue to innovate and work with the community to keep Singapore safe and secure.
- Police Heritage Trail
SPF will launch a 3.5-kilometre Police Heritage Trail on 28 May 2020 to highlight iconic landmarks that were built as the force developed in tandem with the growing city state. Covering seven points including the first police office, Old Hill Street Police Station, and the former Central Police Station, the trail commemorates SPF’s rich 200-year history through its built heritage.
- Police Day Parade and Show
SPF will hold a parade and show on Police Day on 3 June 2020. Police Day is a significant event for all SPF officers as we celebrate our achievements and recognise the contributions of retired and serving officers. This is also the day Singapore obtained self-government in 1959 and when the Police became accountable to the people as the law enforcement agency of an elected Government. SPF officers will renew our commitment and pledge to continue to serve our nation and carry out our duties with courage, loyalty, integrity and fairness.
- SPF200 Book – “Safeguarding Every Day, 200 Years of the Singapore Police Force”
“Safeguarding Every Day: 200 Years of the Singapore Police Force” is a book that seeks to capture highlights of the bicentennial heritage of SPF – from our rudimentary founding in 1820, through the colonial era, to internal self-government and briefly being part of Malaysia, and to the modern professional outfit ensuring Singapore’s safety today. The book highlights the visionary leadership of the Commissioners that have served over the 200 years, as well as the contributions of SPF’s women and national servicemen to its operational and service excellence. To inspire future generations, the book also showcases SPF’s resilience and resourcefulness through the many ways it adapts to changing security threats, from dealing with secret societies and communal unrest in the past, to developing technology innovations and partnering the community to continue to fight crime, terrorism and other emerging challenges.
- Police Community Roadshows
The Police Community Roadshow 2020 will be held at different locations across the island in June, November and December 2020. The series of roadshows is aimed at building stronger ties with the public, allowing the public to gain a better understanding of police work, and inspiring future generations of police officers.
- SPF200 Musical
The SPF Band will be presenting its first original musical on 29 August 2020 at The Theatre at Mediacorp Campus. Through theatrical music, dance, display and drama, the musical will showcase the journey in the making of a police officer through highlighting the challenges officers face from training to deployment on the frontline, and how in doing so they exemplify SPF’s four core values – Courage, Loyalty, Integrity and Fairness.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
10 January 2020 @ 11:30 AM