The elite PTU of the Singapore Police Force was formed with two main roles: to keep public order, and maintain public security.
Perhaps the most visible and recognisable ambassador of the PTU is the Anti-Riot vehicle, or more colloquially known as the ‘Ang Qia’ (Hokkien for Red car).
Along with the Water Cannon, the two huge Ang Qias are impossible to miss, and they signal that the elite PTU officers are around, somewhere.
In contrast to the other elusive elite units of the Singapore Police Force, the PTU is highly visible, and with a cause too.
The 1950 Maria Hertogh riots took the lives of 18 people with more than 170 others injured.
It was quickly realised that a contingent tactical force was sorely needed to tackle dangerous and volatile situations, prompting the birth of the Singapore Riot Squad in 1953.
By 1980, the Singapore Riot Squad was renamed the Police Tactical Force.
In 2003, the Police Tactical Force underwent an enhancement of capabilities to become the Police Tactical Unit (PTU), Singapore’s sentries of public order and public security in response to the growing terror threat.
This was in preparation of Singapore hosting major world events such as the World Bank meetings in 2006, ASEAN Summit in 2007 and 2009 Singapore Grand Prix.
As such, one can often see PTU officers in dark-coloured gear equipped with their MP5, patrolling crowded areas.
“Quite a few times, tourists will be very alarmed and ask if something is going to happen. In other countries, only when something happens, then they will see the police officers on the ground patrolling,” said Deputy Superintendent (Dy Supt) Lim, 33.
“But we take a more pro-active stance; we want to be there before anything happens… hence we are always on standby so that we are ready to respond immediately.”
During major festive seasons, one can also catch the PTU officers in action.
“Our job is to disperse crowds, and most importantly, ensure that everyone gets home safely,” said Dy Supt Lim.
“Whatever we do to protestors, for example the use of smoke grenades, we have tried it on ourselves… so that after we’ve used it, we know that they are still safe. It also helps us to gauge their reaction, and react better.”
While the officers’ sophisticated gear and weaponry play their roles in deterring security threats, the PTU’s greatest weapons are the officers themselves.
Donning gear that weighs at least 10 kg, it takes more just than strength to perform their duties to their best.
True to their commitment to being more than physically fit to carry out all their duties, their training schedule includes serious fitness trainings, orderly drills to instil public order, and fire-arms practise.
Serious fitness trainings include marathon and interval training, and running up and down 10 flights of stairs multiple times, in their full combat gear which can weigh beyond 10 kg.
“We cannot discount the possibility of say, running up the stairs of Pan Pacific hotel for example, to do our work… so we have to run up (for trainings)! Sometimes, using the lift isn’t an option for us,” said Dy Supt Lim.
“But physical trainings can be too serious… so sometimes we also do sports such as basketball and badminton, which also gels the team together atop our fitness goals.”
“While there is no public order incident reported in the media, we don’t take it for granted. We train very hard… We are ready once anything happens,” said Dy Supt Lim.
lol lol lol lol