Police Life finds out how the PCG strengthens its training regime in an increasingly complex operating environment!
By: Ashwini Jayasankar
Equipping every Police Coast Guard (PCG) officer with essential skills is imperative for safeguarding Singapore’s territorial waters. Besides navigation and boat handling, officers are trained in other crucial aspects of maritime policing such as vessel boarding and search techniques.
Constructed in 2006, the PCG’s Boarding and Search Trainer (BST) is a tactical training facility designed to provide PCG officers with a realistic training environment. To meet the growing training requirements of PCG officers, the BST underwent significant renovations in 2022. Police Life learns more about its enhancements!
Navigating Tight Spaces
Improvements have been made to the Close-quarter Battle Areas for more realistic training. The non-live firing area comprises rooms that replicate a vessel’s layout and which are designed with hidden compartments and false ceilings to simulate possible scenarios that officers might encounter when searching a vessel. To enhance the training experience, the rooms are also furnished with anti-ricochet materials to facilitate the use of thunder flashes and stun grenades.
The modular design of the live firing area allows the deck’s arrangement to be altered for each training session. This adds to the realism of the exercises since officers won’t be able to predict the deck’s configuration. The live firing area now also comes with enhanced ballistic protection, allowing the use of handguns, shotguns and rifles.
A hostage situation was simulated with officers having to navigate a narrow corridor. The hostage was dragged along by the gunman who forced him to his knees and finally pointed a gun at his head. In response, a team of STS officers swiftly stormed the corridor, surrounded the gunman and successfully rescued the hostage, showing the importance of teamwork in operational success.
Leap of Faith
At the heart of the training for PCG officers is the confidence jump, which prepares them to execute ship evacuations swiftly and efficiently during emergencies. The 10-metre-deep Tactical Pool boasts dive platforms positioned strategically at four, seven and 10 metres. These help officers to refine their techniques for confident jumping. The multifunctional Pool also allows for an array of water-based survival training, ranging from diving to underwater scenarios.
To amplify its training potential, the Tactical Pool has undergone enhancements such as the incorporation of an innovative Underwater Egress Training Simulator and a dynamic wave ball, allowing for a fully immersive and dynamic training environment.
“Aim, Shoot, Train”
Marksmanship is another essential skill required of officers. At the BST, PCG trainees can now undergo firearms training at the newly upgraded 25-metre Indoor Firing Range.
The Range’s configuration can also be modified to offer a variety of training scenarios (such as low-light or blackout conditions) and also simulate both friendly subjects and adversaries.
With these upgrades to the BST, PCG officers can continue to ensure their operational readiness in keeping our waters safe and secure!
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