New police initiative to engage community in crime prevention and improving public safety

SINGAPORE - Members of the public are encouraged to partner the police in making Singapore a safer place, with the launch of a new national initiative to unify all police community engagement and volunteer schemes.

The SaferSG, Together movement, launched by Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong on Nov 29, aims to address the growing need for community involvement in Singapore’s safety and security.

Four key areas have been identified: crime prevention, scam awareness, road safety education, and emergency preparedness.

Speaking at the Police Community Roadshow at the open field beside Causeway Point, Mr Tong said: “Keeping Singapore safe is not a job that only one entity or one person can do.”

“It is for every resident, every family, every business and every organisation – all of us have a role to play, especially as criminal threats and security risks are evolving beyond the traditional boundaries.”

He added that Singapore faces an evolving threat landscape, with new challenges from cybercrime and online scams to shifting road user behaviours and new security threats.

Close to half a billion dollars

was lost to scams in the first half of 2025, with almost 20,000 cases reported in Singapore.

On the roads, the number of speeding violations in the first half of 2025 surged by

more than 45 per cent

from the same period the year before, to over 118,000.

Mr Tong cited a case in June where a MoneyMax staff member helped prevent a 68-year-old customer from losing more than $20,000 to a scammer who impersonated a government official.

The staff member had found the large amount of gold being purchased, the hastiness of the transaction, and the customer’s unease suspicious. He decided to delay the transaction and lodge an electronic police report.

In his speech, Mr Tong said individuals and organisations can play their part by staying informed, taking part in police programmes or playing a more active role in keeping Singapore safe.

Speaking to the media, Assistant Commissioner of Police Sherrin Chua, who is director of the community partnership department, acknowledged that the number of volunteers in the Citizens on Patrol scheme has dropped.

She said the dip was due to many reasons, such as changing lifestyles and personal priorities like family commitments.

In response, the police introduced the Episodic Volunteering Programme in March to offer short-term opportunities with flexible commitment levels, she said. Volunteers can contribute in specific roles, such as roadshow ambassadors, band members or design consultants.

Individuals can join the Community Watch Scheme, where members keep a lookout for incidents around the neighbourhood as well as workplace issues, among other things, and share crime information with the police.

They can select “interest groups” that match their lifestyles and preferences. Existing groups include Neighbours on Watch, Riders on Watch, Cyclists on Watch and Cyber Guardians on Watch.

Members can download the Police@SG app and get notifications on their selected interest groups. The app also provides information on police events and advisories, and allows users to submit information directly to the police.

Parents can bring their children for Police Pal storytelling sessions at libraries to learn about police work, and the public can attend “Coffee with a Cop” sessions to engage with officers and learn about crime trends in their neighbourhood.

Individuals can also volunteer to patrol alongside regular police officers and respond to 999 calls under the Volunteer Special Constabulary scheme.

The public can learn more about the SaferSG, Together movement at seven islandwide engagement drives in 2026, with the first scheduled for January.

Organisations can also enhance the safety of their staff and premises by joining the Workplace on Watch programme. They will receive the latest crime alerts and advisories, along with sharing sessions by the police.

Mr Tong cited how UOB regularly shares crime prevention advisories through internal communication channels and digital displays at their branches. “Anyone and everyone can partner with the police, to help make Singapore a safer place to live, work and play.”