New app lets security officers report abuse, workplace issues

Security officers facing abuse can seek help through a new mobile application that aims to make reporting such cases more efficient.

Available now for mobile devices, the app is for all security officers, who can submit details of issues faced at the workplace, such as photos, incident location and other descriptions, so that the Union of Security Employees (USE) can investigate.

"While the (latest USE industry) survey showed that security officers generally know who or where to seek help from when they face abuse at work, more can be done to expedite the process and enable neutral, third-party bodies to help investigate and mediate the case at hand," a USE media statement said.

The union will help complainants to file a police report if necessary, or refer the issue to the relevant authorities, usually within a matter of hours to a week, its executive secretary Steve Tan said at the launch of the app yesterday.

The app streamlines the process of drafting e-mails and making phone calls to report cases of abuse to the USE, which has handled about 440 cases this year, he added.

Users can also check on the status of their reports via the app, which is also available to security officers whose employers are not registered with the union, said Mr Tan.

He hopes the app can be of service to as many of the 40,000 officers registered in Singapore as possible. Besides facilitating the reporting of issues, the app also provides regular updates on industry and USE-related news.

Mr Tan said the app is also aimed at helping officers who experience mental health issues or stress at work - a matter that was highlighted in the survey findings presented yesterday.

The well-being of women and younger officers was of particular concern, he added.

About 20 per cent of female respondents said that they "often" felt stressed and nervous - a figure almost two times higher than that for male respondents. A higher proportion of officers aged 49 and below also said the same, compared with older officers.

Mr Tan said: "Not all are aware of where to seek help from, and it could be tough for some to express their concerns too as the problems might not just be about the workplace. These issues are all interwoven, more so in this profession because they spend so much time at work."