Police National Service Department
By DSP Masagoes Idris Masagoes Hussain

Running the Course
The Police National Service Department continues to produce competent and brave officers. Police National Servicemen are not merely boys in training; they are a vital force for the nation.

FY 2007 proved to be a year of many exciting ‘firsts’ for the Police National Service Department (PNSD). Policies and initiatives were formulated to maximise the potential and contributions of 24,000 personnel so that they could complement and support SPF in every way possible.

Through continued investment in training and effective management of PNSD’s resources, we produced highly competent and professional officers who were well integrated within the regular force.

We endeavoured to provide excellent services to our PNS officers by caring for their needs, and developed a competent and effective Key Installation Protection (KINS) command to protect our nation’s key installations. PNSD also worked closely with strategic partners and served as an active conduit between PNS personnel and SPF.

Swift Response for Major Operations

Operationally ready PNSmen from the National Service KINS Units (NSKU) were swiftly activated and deployed in support of several key operations, including the ASEAN Summit and the island-wide manhunt for Mas Selamat Kastari.

New Frontline Vocations

PNSD conducted a review on training and deployment of National Service Probation Inspectors (NSPIs) in 2007 and initiated a drive to place more NSPIs in the frontline so as to alleviate the pressures on the ground. These initiatives would guarantee greater frontline exposure for NSPIs, steering them to be more effective NS commanders during their Operationally Ready National Service (ORNS) period.

Some of these new vocations included:
• Assistant Operations Officers
• Assistant Navigation Officers in Police Coast Guard (PCG)
• Company Commanders at Training Command (TRACOM)
• Guard Commanders at Police KINS Training Camp (PKTC)
• Division Security Officers

In addition, the Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) Support Officer vocation was created by the PNSD to relieve land divisions from resource constraints. They were required to perform crowd control duties, proactive patrols and counter duties.

Supplementary Special Constables (SCs) were also deployed to land divisions to further enhance frontline police presence and to provide much needed manpower.

Home Team Pre-Flagship Workshop

In the run-up to the 2008 Home Team Workshop, an inaugural pre-flagship event was organised in February 2008 to tap on the knowledge and expertise of our ORNS men.

This workshop brought together key NS appointment holders from both SPF and the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) for a brainstorming session to find ways in which NSmen could extend their contributions beyond their primary roles and play a bigger part in the Home Team’s mission of safety and security. The Workshop yielded many interesting proposals, ranging from extending the roles of NSmen to further engaging them with the community.

Launch of New Services

e-Prep, a novel service introduced to PNS personnel in March 2008, is a scheme that provides subsidised, preparatory courses online to better prepare full-time Police National Servicemen (PNSF) for the end of their national service tenure. The servicemen would be considering to either further their studies or join the workforce.

With e-Prep, PNSFs would be eligible to subscribe to over 1,300 online courses offered by participating local educational institutes and e-learning providers such as National Technological University (NTU), Polytechnics and Institutes of Technical Education (ITEs). PNS personnel would be able to access e-Prep during and even after the last 12 months of their national service, and would have the option to take these electronic courses at home during their free time.

Operationally Ready National Service Completion Award

Under the new recognition system – the Fourth Committee to Recognise the Contribution of Operationally Ready NSmen to Total Defence (RECORD IV) – the Operationally Ready National Service (ORNS) Completion Award would be given to NSmen who completed their ORNS cycle from January 2006 onwards.

NSmen would be given an ORNS Award of $300 upon completion of their ORNS cycle. 7,300 eligible PNSmen received the Awards in FY 2007.

New and Exciting Challenges in FY 2008

Singapore is being thrust into the global spotlight, with events like the Singapore Formula One race, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) conference and the Youth Olympics soon to be staged here. With training and continued hard work, PNSD is confident of delivering its best performance.

New Insurance Scheme for NSmen

From 1 April 2008, PNSmen are automatically covered under a new Group Personal Assistance Insurance Scheme, which will help mitigate the effects of accidental disability or even death during National Service active duty. In this way, PNSmen and their families will be better equipped to cope with difficult circumstances.

A Safe and Secure Singapore

We recognise that there is a need to train, operationalise and leverage on every NS personnel for the frontline. Working together with regular officers, our highly competent and professional PNSmen have upheld the high standards and vision of SPF and contributed to making Singapore a Safe and Secure Best Home.