Dear Reader,

Policing is difficult work. Some will claim that it is thankless work. Those of us in the business know that it is a noble vocation, even a calling, and will not want to do anything else.

Our police officers work tirelessly to keep Singapore safe; indeed, one of the safest places in the world. By any measure, the Singapore Police Force is a world-class police service, and we are all proud to belong to a forward-looking, innovative and responsive organization.

The Police Scholar

The SPF is nothing without her cadre of dedicated officers, and equally dedicated commanding officers. The Force constantly seek out outstanding young persons to join our ranks, believing that only conscientious renewal and rejuvenation can guarantee continued success.

Of course, we have uncompromisingly high standards, and are unapologetic about them. We demand our prospective scholars to have achieved high excellence in both academic and extra-curricular work. In addition, we insist on an indomitable spirit, clear demonstration of outstanding leadership, and an uncommon willingness to serve others.

For the successful scholar, the SPF offer an extraordinary career, in the service of the nation and our fellows. The SPF Overseas Scholar will receive a world-class education at the best universities in the world, on terms which are second to none.

I was honoured with the SPF (O) Scholarship in 1985, which allowed me to go up to Oxford as an undergraduate. I, later on, also did graduate work at Harvard.

My Police Story

You cannot learn policing in a university. It is only in practice that an aspiring police officer develops the skills and instincts required for crime fighting, for engaging with the communities that we serve, and for motivating and leading others.

My own policing career has been an outstanding adventure.

I had started, like everyone else, as a criminal investigator. Solving street crime and chasing common criminals put the young police scholar into immediate and direct contact with the harm and wickedness that every policeman swears to fight. For me, this had been immediately life-changing. And further strengthened my resolve to do my best for victims of crime, and to bring the crooked to justice.

I was subsequently posted to the Internal Security Department, and spent the next several years engaged in a kind of policing that was largely covert, helping to protect our country from unseen threats.

By 1992, the long running Cambodian civil war had come to an end. I promptly volunteered for peace-keeping duties with United Nations forces deployed there. Wearing a blue beret, and getting to witness and to deal with the horrors and wanton devastation of war proved to be another life-changing experience.

Returning from the Killing Fields, I was given another challenging task: to set up and lead a new police SWAT (which is the STAR) unit. I commanded STAR for a few years, during which time several daring raids resulted in serious and dangerous criminals being put away, and STAR’s reputation as an elite police unit firmly established.

STAR was followed by an Administrative Service stint in the Ministry of Trade and Industry doing policy work related to economic re-structuring and industrial development, and a year at the Kennedy School in Harvard.

It was back to policing after Harvard, as Commander of Central Police Division, a most challenging precinct; Deputy Director of the CID; and Director, Police Intelligence.

In 2007, I was appointed the Director of Prisons, and left the SPF again, this time to manage the downstream end of the criminal justice system. Running Singapore’s prisons and drug rehabilitation centres provided me with an eye-opening experience in executing justice and reducing re-offending.

On 1 Feb 2010, I took command of the Singapore Police Force as Commissioner of Police. I now have the grave responsibility of ensuring the safety of Singaporeans and residents, the well-being of men and women in police blue, and for protecting the good name of the SPF.

I love my job!

 Join the Good Guys

I hope that my story, and those of the other police scholars on this website, will inspire you to want to join us.

To fight evil. To do good.

Ng Joo Hee
Commissioner of Police