VIDEO

Little India Riot COI: Two police officers on patrol reach scene within 14 minutes

The aftermath of the riot in Little India's Race Course Road and Buffalo Road on Dec 9, 2013. -- ST FILE PHOTO: ALPHONSUS  
The aftermath of the riot in Little India's Race Course Road and Buffalo Road on Dec 9, 2013. -- ST FILE PHOTO: ALPHONSUS  

Police Fast Response Cars are expected to be at the scene of an emergency within 15 minutes of being activated, Deputy Commander of Police T. Raja Kumar testified on Friday, on the third day of the public hearing into the Little India riot.

Two patrolling police officers made it to the scene slightly faster than expected - 14 minutes after the 999 call - because they were patrolling in the area. This was despite the call being reported as an accident, which would mean that it was an incident the Traffic Police would respond to.

An ambulance had already arrived at the scene at 9.31pm, and a minute after the two patrol officers arrived, a Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) Red Rhino was at the scene.

Mr Raja Kumar asked the Inquiry to bear in mind how the nature of the incident had developed from a road traffic accident.

"In the first place, it was presented as a traffic accident. Against that context, we calibrated the response and traffic police was activated," he said.

"As the nature of the accident escalated, and the rioters changed from being boisterous to being violent and rowdy...that would commensurate in getting the SOC in quickly," said Mr Raja Kumar, referring to the Special Operations Command that was activated by ground commander Assistant Superintendent Jonathan Tang.

ASP Tang requested for the troop at 9.45pm, five minutes after he arrived at the scene following a call from a CISCO auxiliary officer to his station at Kampong Java NPC at 9.27pm.

Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.