Photo Source: Facebook/Boysam Je

Police officers are parents, brothers and sisters too. They have similar feelings like all of us. They are not robots. They use their initiative and practice discretion.Any form of aggression by anyone against any police officer or any member of the public acting in good faith for the community should NOT be tolerated.

Life as a police officer is dangerous and the job at times is unpleasant.Police officers have to act on violations of laws. Not doing so is “Dereliction of Duties”. Police officers (like taxi drivers) are on the road most of the time. At times they have to chase vehicles and in so doing endanger their own lives. The same situation apply to citizens making arrests.

That man in the video was clearly violent. The officers had to ensure his safety and that he did not get away.
How the officers acted is exemplary. PS: Do remember any suspect in such a scenario could have used a tiny blade to slit the throat of any one of them. That would have been disastrous. I say this from experience as one of my colleagues (SI Boo) died in that cruel way.

These officers could have “done better” at handling the violent suspect but the fear of someone capturing their action on a phone camera and making it go viral may have prevented them from doing so. This is the sad truth today.

Complaints of high-handedness against our police officers are always thoroughly investigated by the Internal Affairs Dept of the SPF. Police officers have to appear before these investigators AFTER their tour of duty.
Such investigations can be very depressing and time-consuming. Do also remember that the public is also at liberty to “pray for a private summons” against police officers. Police officers have to engage their own lawyer to defend them. Our police officers aren’t highly paid and such an action can be very taxing on them.

As a former Police Trainer, my colleagues and I had always inculcated in our officers to use “minimum force” UNLESS the scenario escalates and “necessary force” had to be applied but by and large our cops always prefer to handle suspects with utmost caution and respect. Here again I speak with experience. (In 1973, my colleague and I were arraigned in Court at the then Hong Lim Park. The late Subhash Anandan defended the complainant. We the defendants were defended by the late

The late Subhash Anandan defended the complainant. We the defendants were defended by the late Mr Murugason. Fortunately our lawyer was kind and he defended us at a minimal cost. The Learned Magistrate was Mr Rahim Jalil. We were both acquitted.That incident made us realize our difficulties. Honestly both of us were shocked and left wondering whether it was worth acting against a drunk who was creating a nuisance at a wedding function).Many a time I had been checked by our officers on the road. That is their job and we should appreciate it. What’s wrong if you have done nothing illegal.

Finally it was so touching to see members of the community assisting the injured policeman. It shows that the community appreciates the sight of our policemen around. PS: Here again I recall how the community came forward to help when two of our unarmed officers were beaten unconscious by members of the Pek Kim Leng SS Group at a bus stop opposite Lowland Road in the early 70s. This led to the late Mr LKY banning firecrackers immediately.

Conclusion:
Please don’t mock our men and women in blue. Help them. Understand them and their rigorous work. It’s tough being a police officer. This senior citizen speaks with experience. My best wishes for a speedy recovery for the injured cops.Policemen need us as much as we need them.Fortunately, our men in blue are not “trigger-happy” like cops in some other countries.

Source: Sukhdev Singh Gill