Deployment of Riot Police at Jalan Tukang Westlite Dormitory on 13 October 2021
Ministry of Home AffairsSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the deployment of police units at the Jalan Tukang Westlite Dormitory on 13 October 2021 following reports of workers behaving aggressively with potential for violence. MP Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap and MP Ms He Ting Ru inquired about the specific units involved, their roles, and the criteria for deploying riot police. Minister of State Desmond Tan stated that while Jurong Police Division officers responded initially, additional contingency forces were placed on standby but not deployed as the situation was resolved without arrests. He noted that Special Operations Command units were activated for public order incidents only twice in the last five years, specifically at the Singapore Boys’ Home in 2016 and 2018. The Minister of State clarified that the Ministry does not disclose specific operational details of units, as deployment is based on the nature and scale of each incident.
Transcript
40 Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) which Singapore Police Force (SPF) units were activated in the Jalan Tukang Westlite Dormitory incident; (b) what are their roles; and (c) whether any enforcement actions were taken at site by these respective units.
41 Ms He Ting Ru asked the Minister for Home Affairs (a) over the last five years, how often and under what conditions have the riot police been deployed to respond to an active situation in Singapore; and (b) whether the situation at the Jalan Tukang Westlite Dormitory on 13 October 2021 warranted their deployment.
The Minister of State for Home Affairs (Mr Desmond Tan) (for the Minister for Home Affairs): Mr Speaker, may I have your permission to answer Question Nos 40 and 41 together, please.
Mr Speaker: Yes, please.
Mr Desmond Tan: On 13 October 2021, the Police responded to a call for assistance at the Jalan Tukang Westlite Dormitory. The information was that a group of workers were behaving aggressively, with potential for violence.
Patrol officers from Jurong Police Division were dispatched to the dormitory. Officers from MOM were already engaging the workers. The officers from Jurong Police Division together with the dormitory staff and officers from MOM managed to resolve the situation. While the Jurong Police Officers were engaged, they also assessed that it was necessary to have other Police units on standby, in the event the situation became violent. And additional units were placed on standby. However, these additional units were not needed to be deployed. No arrests were made by the Police during the incident.
The Police do not track the number of times that its contingency forces have been activated to respond to public order incidents. Such activations may take place in a variety of situations, including management of large crowds that may turn disorderly, protests or riots.
As a reply to Ms He Ting Ru’s question on previous deployments to active situations in the last five years, officers from the Special Operations Command (SOC) were activated in response to public order incidents on two occasions: at the Singapore Boys' Home in September 2016 and September 2018.
Mr Speaker: Mr Faisal Manap.
Mr Muhamad Faisal Bin Abdul Manap (Aljunied): Thank you, Sir. I would like to thank the Minister of State for the reply from MHA. I just want to know whether apart from the SOC, what are the other units being deployed, as I had asked in my Parliamentary Question?
Mr Desmond Tan: I thank the Member for the question. The Police deploy their forces based on the nature and the scale of the incident. Different units will be activated and deployed for different purposes depending on the situation for each case. We generally do not disclose the kind of units and any other details that are related to the operation.