S’pore Might Hire Auxiliary Police Officers from China, India, the Philippines or Myanmar

By
Sushmita Kaur
-

Singapore is currently exploring the possibility of hiring auxiliary police officers (APO) from various Asian countries, including the Philippines, China, India, and Myanmar.

Now, this would be your first question: what are APOs?

APOs are armed police officers that plays a crucial role in safeguarding public and private premises from potential security threats or terrorist activity. Their responsibilities encompass access control, security screening, armed security patrols, and emergency management, and assist the SPF on these tasks.

You’ve probably encountered them at immigration checkpoints, but they also operate in banks, private events, and locations with sensitive installations.

Currently, only Singaporeans, Malaysians and Taiwanese can be auxiliary police officers.

Taiwanese APOs were initially brought on board by private security firms like AETOS and Certis CISCO in response to a manpower shortage in Singapore’s security industry. This recruitment effort began in late 2016, and after undergoing training, the first batch of Taiwanese APOs commenced their duties in Singapore in 2017.

However, the question arises: why is Singapore now considering expanding its hiring practices?

Number of Taiwanese Officers Decreased by more than 50%

The Minister for Home Affairs and Law, K Shanmugam, recently disclosed in a parliamentary reply that Singapore intends to continue hiring Taiwanese APOs, despite facing retention challenges.

He was responding to inquiries from Workers’ Party MP, Ms Sylvia Lim, who sought information on whether Singapore is still hiring APOs from Taiwan, challenges faced when recruiting these officers and other potential jurisdictions for recruitment.

Mr Shanmugam revealed that the number of Taiwanese officers has declined significantly, with a staggering 70% decrease. This decline could be attributed to the demanding nature of the job.

Back in 2019, Taiwanese media reported that Taiwanese auxiliary police officers found the security work physically taxing, particularly those stationed at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, where long hours and intense heat were challenging. The continual decrease in the number of officers shows that they might still share these sentiments.

Additionally, Mr Shanmugam pointed out other reasons contributing to the decline in Taiwanese officers including improved job opportunities and prospects in Taiwan, a desire to settle down with a family and homesickness.

At present, 68% of APOs in Singapore are Singaporean citizens, with the remaining 32% being Malaysian and Taiwanese.

Acknowledging the increasing demand for security services, Mr Shanmugam emphasized that maintaining an adequate pool of APOs is challenging due to factors such as a shrinking workforce, physical fitness requirements, and the array of job options available to Singaporean citizens.

Consequently, Mr Shanmugam has suggested the possibility of expanding the jurisdictions that allow Auxiliary Police Forces to recruit foreign APOs.

Any Risks Associated with Non-Singaporeans Carrying Firearms?

Now, some of you might be slightly concerned about the idea of non-Singaporeans carrying firearms, but there’s no need to worry.

Mr Shanmugam has reassured that misuse of firearms is “extremely rare” and not more prevalent among non-Singaporeans.

Moreover, Singapore will exercise caution and apply strict regulations when deploying foreign APOs. Authorities will ensure safety through thorough security screening, training, and vigilant supervision.

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Sushmita Kaur
Email: [email protected]