Central Police Division
By DSP Goh Eng Joo & SSgt Koay Lean Seong
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| Land Area Covered: |
27 sq km |
Central Police Division – Watching Over the City
The Central Police Division plays a vital
role in maintaining peace and order in
the Central Business District, one of the
busiest areas in Singapore. With popular
ethnic quarters, tourist hotspots and
entertainment belts under our jurisdiction,
our officers were kept busy in FY 2007.
The Grand Old Lady’s Legacy
Central Police Division (‘A’ Division), the
oldest but one of the most vibrant police
divisions, continued to show significant
successes in policing work and crime
management. As the area under our
jurisdiction includes a city centre that
never sleeps, we have to be vigilant
round the clock. Despite a year that saw a
number of large-scale security operations,
we sharpened our crime-fighting edge
and performed well in maintaining law
and order. During the year, we also bade a
fond farewell to Commander, AC Raymond
Khoo, who had led the Division from
2005–2007, and welcomed our youngest
Commander, DAC Lau Peet Meng in
January 2008. |
| Population in Area: |
214,000 |
| No. of Neighbourhood Police Centres: 2 |
| No. of Neighbourhood Police Posts: 7 |
| Characteristics of Locality: |
Central Business District, Civic District,
Convention Hub, popular ethnic quarters
including ‘Little India’, Chinatown,
‘Little Thailand’, ‘Little Myanmar’ and
‘Little Nigeria’, 24-hour entertainment
belts at Boat Quay and Empress
Place, burgeoning Education Hub and
tourist hotspot. |
A Year of Excellence
When the National Day Parade 2007 was
moved from the Padang to a floating
platform at the Marina Bay, we planned and
executed a very large-scale deployment on
a terrain that was completely new. It was a
first for ‘A’ Division, operating on new and
unfamiliar terrain that stretched from land
to sea, amidst thousands of spectators.
Despite such a major challenge, we
ensured a pleasant experience for those
who gathered to celebrate the nation’s
birthday.
Sports for Health
FY 2007 was memorable as we were
crowned Champion for the Best Department
Unit (Group B) in the 58th PSA
Sports Meet & Carnival 2007. The victory
demonstrated our athletic ability and
determination. This was an achievement,
especially for our officers who made
personal sacrifices to prepare for the
competition despite heavy operational
duties.
Everyone Can Be a Leader
We spared no effort in leadership
development for all levels in the Division.
The Alpha Divisional Leadership Group
was enhanced with outward-looking
approaches, resulting in greater learning
and sharing.
‘Project Alpha’ – the Division’s leadership
development programme – continued to
gain momentum and recognition among
participants. Developed in FY 2004, it has
been regularly and extensively reviewed
to maximise the leadership potential of
promising officers.
Partners in Organisational Excellence
The Voluntary Special Constabulary (VSC)
officers and Police National Servicemen
(PNSmen) of ‘A’ Division did us proud by
clinching the Best VSC unit for the third
consecutive year and first runner-up in the
PNS Best Land Division Competition.
Getting the Business Community Involved
As the Division is surrounded by worldclass
Meetings, Incentive, Conventions &
Exhibition (MICE) venues, we recognise
the importance of promoting strong
community partnerships to ensure a safe
environment for work and play.
To build a resilient business community,
we used platforms such as the Safety &
Security Watch Group (SSWG) among
other outreach initiatives to help those
in the commercial sector strengthen
their defences against potential threats.
One such well-received initiative was the
Home Team Southern Sector (HTSS) SSWG
Symposium 2007.
Stepping Up Efforts in FY 2008
‘A’ Division is poised to add another
page to its colourful history with the
upcoming opening of the new Marina Bay
Neighbourhood Police Centre and with the
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
2009 on the horizon.
To meet the rising challenges in policing
metropolitan Singapore, we have set in
motion a comprehensive plan to equip our
officers with the necessary competencies,
through the active identification and
fulfilment of officers’ training and learning
needs in all fields, including intercultural
communications.
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