Man Arrested for Attacking 2 Officers (Attached to NEA) With a Sickle Due to a Smoking Offence

If you’re a law enforcement officer of any kind, the work comes with varying degrees of danger. Sometimes it’s a matter of a simple bag check, or maybe breaking up a fight in a food centre.

But sometimes, such jobs can get extremely dangerous when encountering a violent individual.

Man Arrested For Attacking Certis Officers

It’s even more terrifying if said person was armed.

A 30-year-old man has been arrested for attacking two Certis officers doing their job on Monday, 9 Nov.

This occurred around Canberra Link in Sembawang.

The man allegedly punched the officers and slashed one of them with a sickle.

Image: Singapore Police Force

On 10 Nov, police mentioned that they were alerted about the incident at 7.30pm the previous day.

The Certis officers were attached to the National Environment Agency (NEA) as enforcement officers.

This all seems pretty crazy, but what actually happened?

Officers Were Performing Enforcement Duties

Minister for Sustainability and the Environment, Grace Fu, said in a Facebook post that the officers were attacked after issuing a fine for a smoking offence.

Police stated that one officer was allegedly punched in the face.

The other had his hands and legs slashed by the man with the sickle.

The attacker left before the police came, but was identified with the help of police cameras and the officers’ body cameras.

Officers from the Woodlands Police Division arrested him within seven hours.

A bloodstained sickle was also found at the scene, which they believe was the man’s weapon.

The Certis officers were also sent to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital and were both conscious.

Ms Fu says that the officers work hard to defend our nation and “deserve our utmost respect and the right to safety in discharging their duties.”

She also wishes them a speedy recovery.

Punishment For The Attacker

He isn’t getting away scot-free.

In fact, the attacker is getting charged tomorrow, 11 Nov, with voluntarily causing hurt with a dangerous weapon.

He could be fined, jailed up to seven years, caned or a combination of any if convicted of the crime.

Yes, all because of a cigarette.

The police have also warned that they have no tolerance toward violent acts against public servants doing their duties.

Other Cases Were Officers Were Attacked

It seems that law enforcement officers can’t catch a break recently.

Especially if you’ve been following the Balestier shooting case.

Some officers raided a residential unit along Balestier Road, intending to nab suspects involved in cheating cases. According to them, one suspect attacked an officer, causing him to fall and bleed from his face.

Another attempted to snatch an officers firearm, before being shot in the abdomen.

However, one of the suspects also claimed he never assaulted the police officer.

Image: Singapore Police Force