Police Tactical Unit (Singapore)
Encyclopedia
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
specialist unit of 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...
and comes under the direct command of the Special Operations Command
Special Operations Command (Singapore)
The Special Operations Command is a frontline unit of the Singapore Police Force grouping together various specialist units into a single strategic reserve of the regular forces to be called upon in any contingency and serious case of public disorder.Today, the unit is composed of:The SOC also...
. Based in Queenstown
Queenstown, Singapore
Queenstown1 is one of the early housing estates in Singapore, built before Toa Payoh and Ang Mo Kio, and was a test bed for much of Singapore's public housing...
, it is the main anti-rioting and disaster-management unit of the police force. They are also called upon to handle cases of serious crime in progress, particularly cases involving firearms. From 2004, PTU officers also presented greater public prominence when they conducted patrols in public areas, such as at Orchard Road
Orchard Road
Orchard Road is a road in Singapore that is the retail and entertainment hub of the city-state. It is regularly frequented by the local population as well as being a major tourist attraction...
, Holland Village
Holland Village, Singapore
Holland Village is a small busy enclave near the Buona Vista MRT Station close to the Queenstown area in Singapore. A popular venue for younger Singaporeans and expatriates, it is dominated by and often visited solely for its eateries and watering holes, along with some specialist shops selling...
and Serangoon Gardens Estate, partly as a response to greater terrorism concerns.
Early Days
The PTU traces its history back to the early 1950s whereby the Maria Hertogh riotsMaria Hertogh riots
The Maria Hertogh riots or Nadrah riots, began on 11 December 1950 in Singapore after a court decided that a child who had been raised by Muslims should be returned to her biological Catholic parents. A protest by outraged Muslims escalated into a riot when images were published showing 13-year-old...
demonstrated the incapability of existing law enforcement measures in containing situations of mass rioting and other disturbances to public peace. Hence in 1952, the first Riot Squad was formed with 60 junior officers deliberately chosen from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds, and who have been screened to ensure no relations to any political party or faction. These officers underwent rigorous (military) training conducted by Colonel J.F. Fairbairn
William E. Fairbairn
William Ewart Fairbairn was a British soldier, police officer and exponent of hand-to-hand combat method, the close combat, for the Shanghai Police between the world wars, and allied special forces in World War II. He developed his own fighting system known as Defendu, as well as other weapons...
, who was formerly the Assistant Commissioner of the Shanghai Municipal Police Armed Reserve.
These officers formed the first riot control squad which became operational in December 1952 as the Reserve Unit (RU). Their responsibilities included crowd control, riot control, and provision of assistance during natural calamities such as fires and floods, thus three specially-trained squads were formed.
In 1953, the squad was reorganised into 3 troops of 50 men each, and renamed as the Police Reserve Unit (PRU), with PRU 1 stationed at Mount Vernon Camp
Mount Vernon Camp
Mount Vernon Camp, also known as the Gurkha Cantonment, is an establishment of the Singapore Police Force built to house the training and residential facilities of the Gurkha Contingent's Gurkhas and their families...
, PRU 2 at Queensway Base
Queensway Base
Queensway Base is home of Special Operations Command , part of the Singapore Police Force . This place is gazetted as a protected place and is situated directly across the road from the Old Queenstown Police Station. Units such as Police Light Strike Force, Police KINS Training Camp, Police...
and PRU 3 at Jalan Bahar Camp. The unit would later come to be known as the Police Task Force (PTF) following the merger of all three Reserved Units and permanently based at Queensway Base
Queensway Base
Queensway Base is home of Special Operations Command , part of the Singapore Police Force . This place is gazetted as a protected place and is situated directly across the road from the Old Queenstown Police Station. Units such as Police Light Strike Force, Police KINS Training Camp, Police...
.
Modern Times
Wong Kan Seng, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister, oversaw the acquisition of the PETRA (Patrol, Escort, Tactical Response Van) vehicles alongside Police Tactical Squad (PTS) and Troop Tactical Vehicle (TTV) vans for the use of the PTU alongside the rest of the SOC in 2006 just in time for the IMF World Bank Summit in Singapore. The first two vans resemble Ford Transit Vans.
The unit is currently conducting counter-terrorist duties such as security duties in order to deter terrorist threats in Singapore alongside other police units.
Incidents
- In the early morning of 25 April 1978, Constable Lee Kim LaiLee Kim LaiLee Kim Lai was a police officer who was murdered on 25 April 1978 for his service revolver by three men. A serving Police National Serviceman, he was performing police sentry duty at the Police Reserve Unit 1 base of the Singapore Police Force at Mount Vernon when he was abducted from...
was abducted while he was performing sentry duties at the PRU 1 base at Mount VernonMount VernonThe name Mount Vernon is a dedication to the English Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. It was first applied to Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States...
, and found stabbed to death in a taxi later. - On 17 May 1978, SGT Toh Say Tin from the PRU 1 was on special duties when he slipped and fell overboard while attempting to board a boat from marine policePolice Coast GuardThe Police Coast Guard is the Marine Police division of the Singapore Police Force which also takes on roles of the coast guard typically handled by the military or as separate organisations in other countries...
speedboat PA 6 off Marine ParadeMarine ParadeMarine Parade is a town and an urban planning area in Singapore directly to the east of the Central Area, Singapore's central business district.-Location:...
. A non-swimmer, he was not wearing a life vest, and was swept away by the currents. His body was found on 19 May 1978 about eight kilometres from the incident.
Uniforms
In 2005, the uniform underwent a major review, and a new tactical uniform was introduced. The red beret was introduced to facilitate ease of spotting PTU officers in the event of a major crowd control incident. The combat uniform was also redesigned to a more loose-fitting attire with utility pockets, and the material changed to a cotton-polyester mix which is more durable and fire resistant. The colour of the uniform is also changed to a darker shade of blue for tactical purposes. High-heel boots with gutters were also introduced.