Police Life speaks with the past and present Commanding Officers of Serangoon NPC to explore the evolution of frontline policing!
By: Rose Maswida
In 1997, the Singapore Police Force (SPF) took a step forward in community policing with the introduction of the Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) system. Enhanced from the existing Neighbourhood Police Post system, the new system aimed to address the evolving operational landscape of the Force and foster closer relationships between the Police, community partners and residents.
On 17 December 2000, Serangoon NPC commenced operations. Stepping up to play her part at this pivotal moment was former Superintendent of Police Bridget Goh (currently Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police - DAC). Newly appointed as the first Commanding Officer (CO) of Serangoon NPC, she embraced the challenge of building new bonds of trust with the community.
DAC Goh started her journey with the SPF in 1991. Prior to her posting as CO of Serangoon NPC, she oversaw the Senior Officer Basic Course and Officer Cadet Trainee Course at the Police Academy. She subsequently began a second stint at Training Command (TRACOM) in 2010, serving as Commanding Officer of the Advanced Training Centre where she supervised the design, development and conduct of training programmes for NPC officers (i.e. Ground Response Force, Community Policing Unit and Crime Strike Force).
The Past: Revisiting the Early Days of Serangoon NPC
Recalling her experience as CO, DAC Goh shares, “I managed more than 100 officers and oversaw the daily operations of Serangoon NPC, ensuring the safety and security of the community in the Serangoon, Braddell, Seletar and Sengkang estates.”
The very first NPC, Queenstown, was established in 1997. In the years that followed, the SPF launched successive waves of NPCs across Singapore. This was a time when many policing systems and processes were being put in place in response to the changing operating environment. “We conducted extensive training to help our officers get used to the new systems and processes,” recalls DAC Goh. “As everything was new to us, building trust was crucial.”
The main challenge for DAC Goh lay in the uncertainty that surrounded her new role. With only a piece of paper listing her officers’ names without knowing who they are and no access to the NPC building until the day before its official opening, she had to work within very limited resources to prepare for the operations of the NPC as well as to receive the mix of officers from both Ang Mo Kio Division and the then Geylang Division. “It was a tough journey, but communication is everything in the Force,” she says. “I also reached out to other COs so that we could learn from each other. I believe teamwork and camaraderie among the officers have supported me greatly.”
Under DAC Goh’s guidance, Serangoon NPC quickly hit its stride and its efforts continue to be built on by successive cohorts of officers. Now the Assistant Director of the Security Programmes Capability Development Division at the Centre for Protective Security, DAC Goh recalls her CO days with pride.
“I’d say I was able to embark on an invaluable journey, developing my operational, team leadership and relationship-building skills in those early years,” she says. “Those experiences were the building blocks that ensured success in my later career.”
The Present: A New Era of Policing
Fast forward to today and Superintendent of Police (Supt) Ong Ruo Cheng is the current CO of Serangoon NPC. She joined the SPF in 2012 and served as the Operations Officer at Yishun South NPC from 2021 to 2023. She also served in the President’s Office as a full-time Aide-de-Camp to President Halimah Yacob from 2019 to 2021.
Policing has evolved significantly in recent decades, with officers’ duties now more streamlined and having dedicated teams for incident response, community partnerships and investigations. “For me, that’s been the biggest tide of change in terms of how we operate now,” says Supt Ong. “I’m also keen to see how we can further streamline our processes for more efficiency. It’s incredibly fulfilling to help lighten the heavy workload of our officers while maintaining our effectiveness.”
For Supt Ong, building relationships with the community remains important, but the means of engagement have changed. “For example, redesigned NPPs now feature self-help kiosks so that the public can access Police services with ease,” she says. “In the past, interactions with the community were conducted face-to-face, but now, we also engage with them through teleconferencing and other platforms.”
Bridging the Generations
As the past and present COs shared stories of their work, it was clear the sense of respect they had for each other. Both officers also wholeheartedly agree on one thing – that the commitment of the SPF remains unchanged. “Our officers are dedicated to serving the public; ensuring safety and security; and building a lasting sense of trust over the years,” expressed DAC Goh.
This sentiment was echoed by Supt Ong: “It’s a very rewarding experience as a CO to have the opportunity and space to make a difference in the community, and also to the officers that we work with.”
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