Singapore’s Law Minister K. Shanmugam speaks to Reuters in Singapore on July 31, 2019 (PHOTO: REUTERS/Edgar Su)
SINGAPORE – The community still has confidence in the Singapore Police Force (SPF). However, it is important not to take this for granted and allow the relationship between the police and the community to become adversarial.
This was highlighted by Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam in a speech at the Police Work Plan Seminar and Exhibition at the Singapore Expo on Friday (May 12).
He warned that other countries have experienced situations where the police are seen as enemies rather than protectors of the community.
Using the example of the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, he explained that the police were caught up in the political chaos during the riot and were the target of hostility from some members of the public.
Although more than 140 police officers were injured during the riots and more than 1,000 people were arrested, some people in the media and politics tried to downplay the event for their own gain.
Shanmugam also cited a Fox News report that used security footage of the riots that the Speaker of the House shared, with a commentator on the news network accusing Democrats of lying to the American public about the events.
The minister said political power struggles could drag the police into political debates, where certain groups or individuals use the police as scapegoats or collateral damage to make political points.
“The police must not, and cannot, be used as a tool for politics, or as scapegoats by the political leadership,” he stressed.
“We try to avoid that, and we support the Police being neutral and independent, not being used for political purposes. The Police should not become a victim of politics either. The responsibility lies with the elected leadership, the leadership politician, and it has to stay that way.”
Laws will affect the mindset of police officers
The minister also discussed the impact of the laws on the way police officers deal with day-to-day situations, citing the example of the gun ownership situation in the US.
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He said he doesn’t think Americans are more or less prone to violence compared to people in other countries, including Singapore. However, due to the high rate of police officers killed by firearms in the US, it affects the mindset of officers and makes them more cautious.
“If there are four million guns out there, for our 3.6 million citizens, I think our officers are going to have a very different mindset. You’re going to attend every incident with fear. And the slightest suspicion could trigger a knee-jerk reaction : shoot or be. shot,” said Shanmugam.
“It’s a vicious circle. And it’s not just that. That’s the reason why we try to keep crime down in the rest of society, because you have to create a certain culture and approach to reduce crime.
“That’s also why we take such a tough approach on drugs. Every time we allow one side to move, it affects the whole of society and the way we’re going to police it.”
Defending the defenders
Shamugam also called for adequate remuneration for police officers in his speech on Friday.
He said policing is a demanding job and officers are at higher risk of injury while on duty, working shifts and being on duty during public holidays.
Therefore, if the service conditions are not good, the SPF will not be able to attract and retain good people for this tough job.
The minister also emphasized the importance of defending officers and quickly disproving falsehoods when they are unfairly attacked. He cited the case of a police officer falsely accused of harassing an elderly woman in Yishun in 2021, which led to the invocation of the fake news law.
“These attacks will only get more complex, with deepfakes and artificial intelligence,” he warned.
“To counter these attacks, it is crucial to expose the truth quickly and accurately, expose them publicly and openly… There is a political cost but it is more important to protect the institution.
“Our officers know that when there are false or unfair allegations, we will act quickly and decisively to tell the truth and stand with officers.”
Shamugam also stressed that in cases of wrongdoing by police officers, strong action has been taken and will be taken to preserve public confidence in the police force.
Thanks for the strong public trust
The minister expressed his appreciation for the public’s trust in the SPF, with 87% of respondents in a 2020 poll by the Institute for Policy Studies saying they trusted or had a lot of trust in the SPF.
The minister noted that this is the highest level of trust among Singapore’s state institutions and the highest among police forces globally. This positive view was also reflected in the 2022 Gallup Global Law and Order report which found that 93% of respondents in Singapore trusted the police.
“It’s trust that allows the police, first, to prevent crime – they keep the crime rate down in the first place – and to solve crime, when it happens,” he said.
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