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Be A Guardian: Walking the Beat in Queenstown

For SPF’s Ground Response Force officers, it’s all about going the distance to help residents in need.

Proud to serve: Meet SSGT Wendy Yeo, a GRF officer at Queenstown NPC. PHOTO: Jade Tan

Be A Guardian showcases fulfilling career, scholarship and sponsorship opportunities in the Home Team.

It was a rainy Monday afternoon when I arrived at Queenstown Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC), where Staff Sergeant (SSGT) Wendy Yeo is based. A Ground Response Force (GRF) officer with the Singapore Police Force (SPF), she was listening patiently as a resident shared her concerns over the phone.

As I learnt from SSGT Wendy, such follow-ups are an essential part of her job. From helping residents to patrolling the neighbourhood on foot or in a patrol car, our GRF officers are always on the case.

What motivated you to join the Home Team?
As a secondary school student, I was in the National Police Cadet Corps, so I had a basic knowledge of Policing. When I was studying Civil Engineering at Singapore Polytechnic, I attended many career fairs, and that was when my friend encouraged me to apply to SPF. I really wanted to play my part, so here I am!

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Patrolling the neighbourhood, rain or shine: Walking the beat in Queenstown with SSGT Wendy and her partner, SSGT Tan Wei Jian. PHOTOS: Jade Tan and Ashley Tuen

What are some of the common cases that GRF officers respond to?
Our cases vary but in a typical week, we may respond to reports involving noise complaints, loanshark activities, online scams, electricity outages and theft.

A memorable case for me happened when I was still new to the Force. A resident had reported her husband missing. What happened was that her husband had gone out and had too much to drink. A friend had put him in a taxi and texted the wife the details, but the husband didn’t reach home within a reasonable timeframe.

The wife was in a state of panic. Working with fellow officers from another NPC, we studied the taxi’s route and started our search. Eventually, we managed to locate the husband at a hotel along this route, but no one knew how he’d ended up there.

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Community policing in action: Established in 1997, Queenstown NPC is Singapore’s very first NPC and helped to pioneer a new approach to community policing and crime prevention. PHOTOS: Jade Tan

What’s one thing you’d like to share about community policing?
Did you know that there are e-Kiosks inside our Neighbourhood Police Posts that residents can use to access a range of Police services? Drop by to check them out!

What are some of the qualities that GRF officers need to have?
Be sincere, have a heart to serve the public, and assist residents in whatever way you can. It brings me joy to see our residents safe and sound, and to be able to help them with their concerns.

Be A Guardian of Our Home
A recipient of the Home Team Diploma Study Sponsorship (SPF), SSGT Wendy Yeo was awarded the Ministry of Home Affairs Degree Sponsorship in 2016 and has completed her Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and Security at the Singapore Institute of Technology.

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