Singapore has more than 9,000 citizen crime fighters and at least twice the number of citizens who are trained in basic first aid, revealed Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean on Friday.

DPM Teo, who is also and Minister for Home Affairs, noted that in the first nine months of this year more than 80 new Citizen-On-Patrol groups with some 2,000 new members have been formed. He also acknowledged the 18,000 members of the public who have joined Community Emergency Response Teams, and Home Team volunteers who help officers with services such as counselling inmates and preventive drug education.

Noting that security efforts go beyond the different Home Team agencies to involve the public, DPM Teo said,"Our strong partnerships with the community play an integral role in ensuring our safety and security."

DPM Teo was speaking at the opening ceremony of this year's three-day Home Team Festival at the Singapore Expo, where members of the public can learn more about how the work of the Home Team through exhibitions and games.