Behind the scenes of an operation to apprehend a suspect who fled an accident scene.
By: Amanda Wong
On 22 August 2023, Police officers from different Singapore Police Force (SPF) units came together to track down and apprehend a fleeing driver. Here’s how the operation unfolded.
After the Midnight Hour
At around 12:30am, the SPF was alerted to a hit-and-run traffic accident along Serangoon Road. A Porsche had allegedly run a red light and rammed into a Honda. After the collision, the driver fled the scene on foot.
The driver and two passengers in the Honda sustained injuries and were transported to Tan Tock Seng Hospital for treatment. As a result of the accident, traffic lights at a few junctions experienced power outages and additional Police officers were deployed to ensure the safety of other road users.
K-9 Manhunt: Tracing the Steps
The K-9 Unit was dispatched to follow the scent of the fleeing suspect. Police Patrol Dog Handler Senior Staff Sergeant (SSSgt) Mohamed Hafiz Maideen of the Special Operations Command (SOC) K-9 Unit worked hand-in-hand with his Trailing Dog, Bubble, to look for the suspect.
Arriving at the accident scene, SSSgt Hafiz learnt that there were no witnesses as to which direction the suspect had fled. “Since there were no eyewitness leads, I used the suspect’s wallet as a scent introduction for my Trailing Dog,” he said. “Bubble followed the scent along Upper Serangoon Road before finally signaling the end of the trail at a condominium at Potong Pasir.”
SSSgt Hafiz was confident of Bubble’s abilities: “I’ve built up a strong bond with Bubble through our training sessions and that allows us to have an excellent rapport during search operations.”
On the Alert
Sergeant (Sgt) Muhammad Adzlan Bin Hussein of the Traffic Police (TP) was one of the first responders dispatched to the residence in Potong Pasir. He meticulously scanned CCTV footage from the condominium premises and spotted a man matching the description of the suspect. “He was seemingly walking in an unsteady gait.” recalled the officer.
Upon identifying the suspect’s apartment, Sgt Adzlan went there with his fellow officers: “I knocked on the front door, identified ourselves as Police officers and requested that the suspect open it, but there was no response.”
Breach and Arrest
Based on the information shared by the K-9 Unit and the TP, the Police Tactical Unit (PTU) assessed the situation and made preparations to enter the apartment. “The suspect hadn’t responded to our officers’ attempts to engage with him, despite being involved in a traffic accident,” explained Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Alvin Lai, Deputy Officer-in-Charge of the Police Tactical Troop. “Since he could be injured, we decided to enter the unit to ensure his safety.”
Using specialised tools, the PTU officers were able to enter the apartment. After a thorough search, the suspect was found in the toilet and assessed to be unharmed. He was then arrested for suspected drink-driving.
The successful operation – concluded within six hours of the accident – gave ASP Lai a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment: “There was regular communication and close collaboration between units throughout, and this was a critical factor in the effectiveness of the operation.”
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