CAUGHT: Security officers escorting a detainee back to the Subordinate Courts last Wednesday. He was one of two detainees who tried to flee from custody, with the escape attempt revealing breaches of security protocol. -- ST PHOTO: WONG KWAI CHOW

One, why did Cop No. 1 open the cell gate knowing that the detainees were not handcuffed? And two, why did Cop No. 2 not look at the CCTV monitor to check who he was letting out of the lockup area?

It is clear that protocols were breached. Cop No. 1 was supposed to hand over water through a hole in the cell door. This was not done. Likewise, Cop No. 2 should have looked at the screen when the buzzer was sounded instead of opening the gate automatically.

The C word - 'complacency' - has cropped up again, especially in the wake of terrorist-fugitive Mas Selamat Kastari's escape some four months ago.

Another possible reason for the lowered vigilance on the part of Cop No. 1: He opened the gate to a cell filled with people who had been offered bail. So they would have been free to go anyway if they had made bail.

The top management of the police force know of the dangers of complacency. But that message may not have filtered down to the front line, a retired senior police officer, 62, felt.

Member of Parliament Teo Ho Pin agreed: 'The message must be conveyed down effectively to the last man in the force. Things mentioned at the management level or in the media may not go down to the last man.'

There are annual security audits to look at whether the prisons are secure enough, manning levels are adequate and detainees are treated properly. Also, surprise checks are conducted.

Past and present law enforcement officers say these audits and spot checks cover a range of issues, including whether officers know how to react in different situations. For example, spot checks may include questioning officers about how they would handle bomb threats and chemical incidents or escort detainees to a hospital or court.

The checks are done by other police divisions to ensure an element of impartiality. Some, like Certis Cisco managing director Charles Loh, 45, say there should also be audits by external outfits. It's always good to have the system looked at from a fresh perspective, he said.

Why would officers let down their guard when they know fully well that the punishment for doing so can be severe - ranging from suspension and demotion to dismissal?

In 2005, an officer who allowed a suspect to escape from his custody was demoted and sacked. The suspect was re-captured eventually.

Those interviewed by The Straits Times say keeping up a constant state of vigilance boils down to the 'attitudes' of front-line officers and how they view their jobs.

'Almost every job is repetitive in nature. But that is not an excuse. It all depends on the individual,' said Mr Kelvin Tan, 44, former president of Aetos Security Management.

Compared to, say, getting into the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), custodial and patrol duties are not popular. They tend to be mundane and onerous, say several officers.

Sometimes the job feels no different from being a 'glorified babysitter', said a cop who has been pounding the streets for more than three years.

'It can be quite uneventful. You spend hours on a route and all you see are blocks and blocks of flats. You actually look forward to getting a message of a crime in progress or of someone looking suspicious,' he said.

Custodial and patrol duties are not as attractive as the 'more exciting' investigation duties carried out by more senior officers.

'The CID picks only the best of the best. We can only work as hard as we can and hope to be posted there. We will get tired after a while if all we do is secure the crime scene, set up cordons and process the paperwork,' he said.

Studies of vigilance, such as one conducted by a group of American researchers, show that prolonged levels of vigilance are especially taxing on the human brain.

Psychology professor Joel Warm of the University of Cincinnati, one of the researchers, said that the significance of vigilance will increase, not decrease, with greater automation.

'People think vigilance - the looking at a screen or other mechanical processes - isn't 'doing much'. Actually, it's a great deal of work, and it's very stressful,' he said.

Agreeing, psychologist Daniel Koh said that vehicular patrols, monitoring X-ray scanners, manning a guard post and even assembly-line work are all stressful.

'When a job becomes too routine, it becomes a chore. You become a little slower. Instead of reacting quickly to certain situations, your responses become automatic,' he said.

Ironically, Singapore's low crime rate may be partly to blame.

'It's so peaceful here...we don't have many violent criminals or organised crime triads,' said Aetos' Mr Tan. 'Our environment doesn't keep us on our toes.'

But retired detective Richard Lim, who has over 30 years of experience in the force, said it all boiled down to dedication.

'You must be willing to put in the hard work and go beyond the extra mile. Once you do that, you will see the results,' he said.

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