Home Team Academy
Encyclopedia
The Home Team Academy is the training institute for various organisations of the Ministry of Home Affairs
in Singapore
, including the Singapore Police Force
, the Singapore Civil Defence Force
, the Central Narcotics Bureau
, the Singapore Prison Service
, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority
, and the Internal Security Department
, amongst other agencies. Located at 501 Old Choa Chu Kang Road, it cost about S$266 million to build. It was operational since January 2006, had an operational launch in April 2006, and was officially opened on 2 September 2006 with an open house and concert http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/225578/1/.html http://www2.mha.gov.sg/mha/hta/index.html.
of the Singapore Police Force laid the foundation for the development of the HTA. When plans were mooted to incorporate other organisations involved in law enforcement, such as the auxiliary police
forces, the facility was tentatively named as the Law Enforcement Academy of Singapore (or LEAS for short). Subsequent changes to also include the training schools of other "Home Team" organisations led to a renaming of the complex as the Home Team Academy..
On 31 December 2005, a "moving parade" was conducted by the police force to signify its transition from the old academy to the new HTA. Police National Service Full-Time trainees of 121st intake and 42nd OCT batch was the last batch to pass out in the academy. After a simple parade at the old parade grounds, officers did a relay run of 42 kilometres to the Choa Chu Kang
complex, where another parade was held. The police's Training Command
thus began operations in the new academy from the beginning of 2006. The old premises was renamed the Old Police Academy by mid-2006.
The Academy took in its second batch of Police National Service
Fulltime trainees of the 123rd intake, which graduated with a passing out parade on 6 July 2006.
The Prison Staff Training School and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority Training and Development Branch fully shifted all operations to HTA by February 2006.
HTA had its operational launch in April 2006, and was declared officially opened on 2 September 2006 by Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Wong Kan Seng
.
Other Home Team agencies maintain an 'off-campus' presence for their training schools, e.g. SCDF's Civil Defence Academy.
Although the individual training schools maintain their training focus on their respective duties, the Home Team Academy seeks to harness aspects of training and knowledge from each agency and to share this across all the departments within the Home Team. It aims to develop new knowledge and skills, especially in the area of homefront security which may cut across all agencies. It also develops training programs with an inter-agency or multi-agency focus.
The Academy is managed by SAC Derek Pereira who took over as Chief Executive from BG(NS) Tay Swee Yee on 31 March 2009. He is assisted by Deputy Chief Executive (Training & Development) AC Loy Chye Meng and Deputy Chief Executive (Admin) AC Zuraidah Abdullah who is concurrently holding the position as Commander (TRACOM). Mr Wong Heng Yuen Melvin heads the Strategic Affairs Centre, Mr Anbalagan Thangarajah heads the Joint Training Centre and Ms Tay Lu Ling heads the Corporate Services Centre who took over from DSP Foo Chee Yin in 2008.
http://app.sgdi.gov.sg/listing.asp?agency_subtype=dept&agency_id=0000011175.
The Home Team Cadet Corps Headquarters (HTCC HQ) is co-located within the Academy, overseeing the managerial and administrative functions of the National Police Cadet Corps
and the National Civil Defence Cadet Corps
.
In addition, there are purpose-built outdoor training facilities to train specific skills. For example, the Police Standard Obstacle Course is designed to build up physical fitness and agility, while based on frontline police officers' operational environment. The Experiential Learning Course is a high-rope obstacle course, where participants engage in various hands-on activities and gain insights into leadership, group problem solving, team work and communication skills.
Ministry of Home Affairs (Singapore)
The Ministry of Home Affairs is a ministry of the Government of Singapore responsible for public safety, civil defence and immigration. It is also known as the Home Team. It is headed by the Minister for Home Affairs....
in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, including the Singapore Police Force
Singapore Police Force
The Singapore Police Force is the main agency tasked with maintaining law and order in the city-state. Formerly known as the Republic of Singapore Police , it has grown from an 11-man organisation to a 38,587 strong force...
, the Singapore Civil Defence Force
Singapore Civil Defence Force
The Singapore Civil Defence Force is the main agency in charge of the provision of emergency services in Singapore during peacetime and emergency.A uniformed organisation under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the main role of SCDF is to provide...
, the Central Narcotics Bureau
Central Narcotics Bureau
The Central Narcotics Bureau of Singapore was established in 1971 as the primary drug enforcement agency entrusted with the responsibilities of coordinating all matters pertaining to drug eradication...
, the Singapore Prison Service
Singapore Prison Service
The Singapore Prison Service is an agency of the Government of Singapore under the hierarchy of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It runs 14 prisons and drug rehabilitation centres in Singapore. It is situated at Upper Changi Road....
, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority
Immigration and Checkpoints Authority
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority is part of the Ministry of Home Affairs of the Singapore Government.-Overview:...
, and the Internal Security Department
Internal Security Department
The Internal Security Department is a domestic intelligence agency of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Singapore. It was formerly part of the Ministry of Interior and Defence until it was split on 11 August 1970...
, amongst other agencies. Located at 501 Old Choa Chu Kang Road, it cost about S$266 million to build. It was operational since January 2006, had an operational launch in April 2006, and was officially opened on 2 September 2006 with an open house and concert http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/225578/1/.html http://www2.mha.gov.sg/mha/hta/index.html.
History
Plans for a new training ground to replace the Old Police Academy at Thomson RoadThomson Road, Singapore
Thomson Road is a major trunk road linking Singapore's central business district with the northern suburban areas. Taking its name from John Turnbull Thomson, a Scotsman who was the Government Surveyor and Chief Engineer of the Straits Settlements from 1841 to 1853 and who helped build many roads...
of the Singapore Police Force laid the foundation for the development of the HTA. When plans were mooted to incorporate other organisations involved in law enforcement, such as the auxiliary police
Auxiliary police
Auxiliary police or special constables in England) are usually the part-time reserves of a regular police force. They may be armed or unarmed. They may be unpaid volunteers or paid members of the police service with which they are affiliated...
forces, the facility was tentatively named as the Law Enforcement Academy of Singapore (or LEAS for short). Subsequent changes to also include the training schools of other "Home Team" organisations led to a renaming of the complex as the Home Team Academy..
On 31 December 2005, a "moving parade" was conducted by the police force to signify its transition from the old academy to the new HTA. Police National Service Full-Time trainees of 121st intake and 42nd OCT batch was the last batch to pass out in the academy. After a simple parade at the old parade grounds, officers did a relay run of 42 kilometres to the Choa Chu Kang
Choa Chu Kang
Choa Chu Kang is a major residential town and neighbourhood and is a suburban area in the West Region of Singapore...
complex, where another parade was held. The police's Training Command
Training Command
Training Command may refer to:*RAF Training Command*Training Command, Indian Air Force*Training Command, Military of Serbia*Training Command of the Singapore Police Force*Training Command of the U.S. Army Air Force, forerunner of the U. S. Air Force...
thus began operations in the new academy from the beginning of 2006. The old premises was renamed the Old Police Academy by mid-2006.
The Academy took in its second batch of Police National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
Fulltime trainees of the 123rd intake, which graduated with a passing out parade on 6 July 2006.
The Prison Staff Training School and the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority Training and Development Branch fully shifted all operations to HTA by February 2006.
HTA had its operational launch in April 2006, and was declared officially opened on 2 September 2006 by Deputy Prime Minister
Deputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some counties, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, but is significantly different, though both...
and Minister for Home Affairs, Mr Wong Kan Seng
Wong Kan Seng
Wong Kan Seng is a politician from Singapore. A member of the governing People's Action Party , he served as the country's Deputy Prime Minister from 2005 to 2011...
.
Organisation
The academy incorporates various schools, including- Training CommandTraining CommandTraining Command may refer to:*RAF Training Command*Training Command, Indian Air Force*Training Command, Military of Serbia*Training Command of the Singapore Police Force*Training Command of the U.S. Army Air Force, forerunner of the U. S. Air Force...
(TRACOM) of the Singapore Police Force. - Prison Staff Training School of the Singapore Prison Service.
- Immigration & Checkpoints Authority Training and Development Branch of the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority.
Other Home Team agencies maintain an 'off-campus' presence for their training schools, e.g. SCDF's Civil Defence Academy.
Although the individual training schools maintain their training focus on their respective duties, the Home Team Academy seeks to harness aspects of training and knowledge from each agency and to share this across all the departments within the Home Team. It aims to develop new knowledge and skills, especially in the area of homefront security which may cut across all agencies. It also develops training programs with an inter-agency or multi-agency focus.
The Academy is managed by SAC Derek Pereira who took over as Chief Executive from BG(NS) Tay Swee Yee on 31 March 2009. He is assisted by Deputy Chief Executive (Training & Development) AC Loy Chye Meng and Deputy Chief Executive (Admin) AC Zuraidah Abdullah who is concurrently holding the position as Commander (TRACOM). Mr Wong Heng Yuen Melvin heads the Strategic Affairs Centre, Mr Anbalagan Thangarajah heads the Joint Training Centre and Ms Tay Lu Ling heads the Corporate Services Centre who took over from DSP Foo Chee Yin in 2008.
http://app.sgdi.gov.sg/listing.asp?agency_subtype=dept&agency_id=0000011175.
The Home Team Cadet Corps Headquarters (HTCC HQ) is co-located within the Academy, overseeing the managerial and administrative functions of the National Police Cadet Corps
National Police Cadet Corps
The National Police Cadet Corps is the largest uniformed group for youths in Singapore in terms of membership. As of 31 March 2004, the organisation has 596 teacher officers and 20,146 student members in 155 secondary schools, 2 polytechnics open units and 2 University Open Units.With the support...
and the National Civil Defence Cadet Corps
National Civil Defence Cadet Corps
The National Civil Defence Cadet Corps of Singapore was formed in 2005 and is currently the newest recognized member of the National Uniformed Group...
.
Architecture and design
Aside from containing lodging facilities for trainees, classrooms, a library and sports facilities, the Academy also contains a Training Village housing simulated facilities for trainees to undergo scenario-based training as part of efforts to inject realism into training. The purpose-built Training Village includes a "commercial and entertainment zone", and a "residential zone". The former has settings such as a bank, a KTV outlet, a food court, a jewellery shop and an MRT carriage and platform. The latter is a four-storey high HDB block with various apartment types for police training. Other facilities include a mock prison wing for prisons officer to be taught prison routine, inmate control and management, as well as simulated border checkpoint for skills training in immigration clearance.In addition, there are purpose-built outdoor training facilities to train specific skills. For example, the Police Standard Obstacle Course is designed to build up physical fitness and agility, while based on frontline police officers' operational environment. The Experiential Learning Course is a high-rope obstacle course, where participants engage in various hands-on activities and gain insights into leadership, group problem solving, team work and communication skills.
Buildings
| Block | Name | Function |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Academy HQ | Administrative |
| 4A | Sports Complex | Sports and Recreation, Visitors' Centre |
| 4B | Multi Purpose Hall | Indoor Multi Purpose hall, Dojo |
| 5 | Stadium Gallery | Outdoor stadium gallery |
| 6 | HTA Gallery | Indoor exhibition centre |
| 7 | Hall of Honour | Indoor ceremonial hall |
| 8 | Harmony Hall | Indoor function hall |
| 9 | Unity Square Grandstand | Outdoor parade square and grandstand |
| 10 | Mess Hall | Canteen |
| 11 | Pearl's Hill Block | Administrative, Auditorium, Library |
| 12 | Phoenix Block | Lecture Theatres, Classrooms, Medical centre |
| 12A | Phoenix Block Annex | Home Team Cadet Corps (National Police Cadet Corps National Police Cadet Corps The National Police Cadet Corps is the largest uniformed group for youths in Singapore in terms of membership. As of 31 March 2004, the organisation has 596 teacher officers and 20,146 student members in 155 secondary schools, 2 polytechnics open units and 2 University Open Units.With the support... and National Civil Defence Cadet Corps National Civil Defence Cadet Corps The National Civil Defence Cadet Corps of Singapore was formed in 2005 and is currently the newest recognized member of the National Uniformed Group... ) Headquarters, VSC Training School, Cafeteria, Classrooms |
| 13 | Foxtrot Company Dormitories | Residential |
| 14 | Echo Company Dormitories | Residential |
| 15 | Delta Company Dormitories | Residential |
| 16 | Charlie Company Dormitories | Residential |
| 17 | Bravo Company Dormitories | Residential |
| 18 | Alpha Company Dormitories | Residential |
| 19 | Range Complex | Firing Range Utility |
| 20 | Range Complex | Indoor Firing Range |
| 22 | Home Team Training Village Commercial Plaza | Training simulation facilities |
| 23 | Home Team Training Village Residential Zone | Training simulation facilities |
| 24 | Home Team Training Village Residential Zone | Training simulation facilities |