SINGAPORE - The police division which handled the first Trump-Kim Summit in Singapore in June last year (2018) has picked up the Best Land Division award, beating out the other five land divisions.
Officers from Clementi Police Division were mobilised to assist with the historic meeting between the American and North Korean leaders, which was held on Sentosa. The island is within the division's jurisdiction.
But it was not just the summit that got Assistant Commissioner of Police Jarrod Pereira and his staff the award, the ninth time Clementi Police Division has won it.
The division also handled multiple high-profile cases, such as the theft of 25 vehicles in which four of five suspects were quickly apprehended, and the case of a Colombian tourist who broke into three houses here to steal cash and valuables.
On Monday (June 3), AC Pereira received the award from Minister for Home Affairs and Law Mr K Shanmugam at the Police Day Parade 2019 held at the Home Team Academy.
The Clementi Police Division commander said winning the award was never their goal.
AC Pereira said that the focus has always been to find ways to continuously improve in every aspect of the work they do, and to serve the community better.
"At the end of the day, if our efforts result in an award, then it's something we can take pride in."
He said the Trump-Kim summit was one of the more challenging events for the division.
Preparing for such a high-security summit proved daunting.
Sentosa, he said, is vulnerable from the sea, and surrounded by forested areas with difficult terrain. But the division members rose to the occasion by working as a team.
"When you do that, there's nothing you can't accomplish," said AC Pereira.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police (NS) Teo Chai Jing, NS Commander of Jurong Police Division, also paid tribute to the strong camaraderie and bonds among the NSmen in his division which was named the best NS Operationally Ready Unit.
DAC (NS) Teo said that apart from hosting engagement sessions often, the NSmen of Jurong Police Division also communicate with one another almost every day on their Whatsapp group.
Other prize winners at the parade included Superintendent of Police (NS) Mohamed Khaliq Mohamed Ridwan from Police Coast Guard. He was one of five PNSmen of the Year awardees.
At the parade, Mr Shanmugam also awarded Special Constable (SC) Sergeant Abdul LateefKamal Mohamed Musttakim from Special Operations Command with the PNSF Officer of the Year Award.
SC Sergeant LateefKamal was one of five awardees.
