Assistant Commissioner of Police Victor Ho (centre), the commander of Protective Security Command, with officers from the newly minted strategic location response teams. -- ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
SINGAPORE (The Straits Times/ANN): A specialist police unit has acquired a fleet of off-road vehicles to help officers navigate rough, unpaved terrain – and flood waters – to respond more quickly to public security incidents.
The cars will be used by the Protective Security Command’s (ProCom) newly established strategic location response (SLR) teams, which were officially implemented on June 22.
The commander of ProCom, Assistant Commissioner of Police Victor Ho, said the aim is to strengthen the Singapore Police Force’s (SPF) ability to respond more quickly and effectively to a wider range of public security incidents, such as terror attacks.
“Our officers will be patrolling key locations, including shopping centres and tourist spots, to deter and respond to any security threats,” he said.
While such patrols are a mainstay of ProCom operations, SLR officers are the first to be equipped with drones and counter-drone technology such as handheld drone jammers.
The new off-road vehicles – Land Rover Defender 110 – have been modified to accommodate this equipment and officers in tactical gear. They also have 360-degree camera systems, multiple airbags, and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
SPF said it worked with HTX (Home Team Science and Technology Agency) to equip SLR officers with the handheld drone jammers, which “allow them to disrupt... unauthorised drone operations”.
Strategic location response officers from the Protective Security Command demonstrating a handheld drone jammer. -- ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO
These rifle-style jammers disrupt communications between a drone and its controller, preventing the drone from receiving commands.
SLR officers are tactically trained and more heavily armed, as they patrol strategic locations such as critical infrastructure, tourist attractions, and other public areas with high foot traffic.
In addition to bulletproof vests and helmets, they carry submachine guns.
AC Ho told The Straits Times that ProCom had decided to implement SLR teams in response to evolving security threats.
“The launch of SLR (teams) will complement ground response officers in dealing with public security incidents by providing aerial surveillance and counter drone capabilities,” he said.
“This will enable the officers to better manage incidents at the onset, as these enhanced capabilities will boost the officers’ ability to attend to incidents swiftly and effectively.”
Assistant Superintendent of Police Jaslyn Lee, the officer in charge of a troop of SLR officers, said that compared with their predecessors, “the new off-road vehicles offer a larger cabin space to accommodate our operational equipment and officers in tactical gear”.
She added: “Its high ground clearance allows us to move through obstacles and respond swiftly to security incidents.”
A team of SLR officers showcased their abilities on June 22 at ProCom headquarters in Ulu Pandan, where they used a drone to track the movements of a “gunman” on the third floor of a building during a simulated exercise.
The drone, equipped with a camera, revealed the “gunman’s” hiding place, even showing him in thermal imaging. An officer later demonstrated using a drone jammer gun to incapacitate a drone.
ProCom was formed in 2016 to protect strategic events and locations in peacetime and during national emergencies. - The Straits Times/ANN
