What’s next after training? An inside look into life as a Police officer in this final instalment of “Learning to Lead”!
By: ASP Warren Liow
After nine action-packed, learning-intensive months at the Training Command as a Senior Officer Trainee, I began my journey with Central Police Division, ready to contribute to preventing, deterring and detecting crimes in the heart of Singapore!
From the Ground Up
Central Police Division oversees a diverse and unique terrain in Singapore, including residential estates like Bendemeer and Tiong Bahru, the Central Business District and the Civic District, and other tourist attractions like Chinatown, Kampong Glam and Little India. As a new Investigation Officer (IO), understanding the local terrain is crucial. It helps me to familiarise myself with the types of incidents that occur in different locations within the Division’s jurisdiction, as well as the Police resources that I can tap on during investigations, such as the Police Cameras.
As part of my two-week induction programme, I had the chance to join several shifts as a Ground Response Force (GRF) officer with each of the Neighbourhood Police Centres (NPCs) in the Division.
I’m thankful for my dedicated teammates and Team Leaders from each NPC, who patiently and eagerly showed me various locations of interest and shared their experiences in safeguarding our Central region.
Seeking the Truth as an IO
For Direct-Entry Inspectors, the IO posting is one of the foundational postings we must go through. It exposes officers to one of the core areas of policing and helps us gain crucial ground skills and knowledge.
During my trainee days, we had classes on legislation and investigative methods. However, no amount of training can really prepare IOs for their first tour. We’d get calls from GRF officers attending to various incidents, requiring us to make quick decisions on conducting an arrest, securing statements and taking appropriate follow-up actions, among many other considerations. The learning curve was steep initially, but I’m grateful to my nurturing teammates and supervisors who guided me every step of the way.
Five months into the job, I’ve become more adept at handling my IO responsibilities. Through clearing my assigned cases, I’m now more familiar with different case types and how they should be handled. The experience improved my ability to ask the right questions and provide correct guidance to GRF officers when I get their calls while on tour.
The role of an IO is multifaceted and challenging, and I continue to learn on the job every day. Whether it’s tracking down a suspect or interviewing a victim, we need to analyse and interpret information from disparate sources, and then piece the truth together cohesively. When faced with conflicting narratives, it’s important to remain impartial and ask questions to seek out the truth.
One memorable contribution for me as an IO was being part of a Division operation to clamp down on offenders offering unlicensed payment services in Marina Bay Sands. With the guidance of Chief IO ASP Ho Cher Hin and Lead Investigator Sergeant Darren Ng, I helped in the investigation follow-up, tracking down offenders and preserving key pieces of evidence.
Holistic Development through Deployments
Beyond our core investigative work, we’re also deployed for various events so that we continue to refresh and upgrade our ground skills. For example, I was deployed for the National Day Parade (NDP) rehearsals and the actual NDP. I also led the security deployment for the inaugural Youth Policy Forum in August 2024, attended by Prime Minister Lawrence Wong. These deployments are good opportunities to hone our command abilities and fundamental ground skills, such as engaging difficult subjects or attending to incidents as a first responder.
I also served as the Liaison Officer for Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) Lian Ghim Hua at the inaugural Global Community Policing Conference organised by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in August 2024. At this three-day event, I learned a lot about community policing, a key pillar of the SPF’s policing strategy. I also had the chance to speak with delegates from police forces around the world as well as participants from local agencies and stakeholders. It was a meaningful experience, and it definitely piqued my interest in community policing!
Balancing Work and Recreation
While work is undoubtedly busy, I’ve found that effective time management is key. Avoiding procrastination, getting things done efficiently and staying on top of my to-do list – these are tips that have helped me manage my workload these past few months while still making time for recreation.
This balance has allowed me to participate in various sporting activities. For instance, I competed in the Police Sports Association Swimming Championships and the Central Police Division Floorball Tournament. I also enjoy running with my colleagues at our Division’s weekly long runs, with our longest run reaching 18km so far! Engaging in sports has been instrumental in keeping both my body and mind healthy.
The Learning Journey Continues
While this marks the end of the “Learning to Lead” series, for me, it’s just the beginning of my growth journey as a Police officer. Each day brings new opportunities to learn and serve the community. I’m looking forward to embracing new challenges and continuing to develop my skills in different functional areas of policing in my current and future roles!
Learning to Lead
Read about ASP Liow’s training journey as a Senior Officer Trainee here: Learning to Lead: A New Journey Begins; Learning to Lead: Train Hard, Play Hard and Learning to Lead: From Trainee to Officer.
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