Within the space of a week two slashing cases occurred.
The one in Orchard Road grabbed the headlines. The other one seems to have been relegated to the background.
In that case under the pretence of asking for directions, the culprit tried to yank away the cell phone of the victim. When the victim resisted, he slashed her with a knife.
The Singapore Police Force (SPF)’s “core function is to protect the people who live in Singapore from CRIME and all manner of CRIMINAL HARM” according to its vision.
People are perplexed as to how SPF can protect us from crime and harm when there is a lack of active policing in the form of police patrols. SPF seems to have receded into the background.
It’s this out of sight, out of mind impression of SPF that in my view has emboldened youth gangs, criminal elements and people to carry out acts of crime with concealed weapons. Another concern is the increase in thuggish behavior which often involves violence.
According to SPF’s vision, to achieve its aim of protecting the public from crime and criminal harm it applies the three strategies of Prevention, Deterrence and Detection.
But how it’s going to prevent and deter crime when its presence in public has diminished?
In Japan, I witnessed active policing in the form of police patrols on foot and on bicycles day and night. The low crime in Japan in part can be attributed to the proactive approach of their police force.
SPF asserts that it aims to “to make Singapore the safest country in the world”.
But when even youths regularly clash with weapons, SPF’s boast doesn’t inspire confidence.
To realise its vision, SPF has to boost its presence in public places. The public have called on SPF to do that but the appeals have fallen on deaf ears.
How many more people must suffer from serious injuries and killed before SPF takes its vision seriously?
SPF should boost its presence with police patrols to deter and prevent crime instead of just issuing crime alerts.
Singapore Baby Boomers 
Reblogged this on SpotlightOnSingapore.