SINGAPORE - The annual Security Agencies (SAs) Grading Exercise 2016 saw Singapore's security agencies make a marked improvement from the previous year.

Assessed on three pillars of criteria - operations, training, and employment and human resource practices - the SAs were graded A for excellent, B for good, C for satisfactory and D for unsatisfactory, by the Police Licensing & Regulatory Department (PLRD) of the Singapore Police Force.

The number of SAs with A grades climbed 39.5 per cent from 43 in 2015 to 60 this year, while the number of D grades plummetted from 31 to 8.

About a third (33.8 per cent) of the SAs improved on their grades, while 17.1 per cent saw a drop.

The grading exercise was held from Jun 1, 2015, to May 31, 2016, involving 228 SAs, down from 239 previously.

Started in 2006 and made mandatory in 2009, the grading exercise assesses all licensed security agencies, and aims to motivate them to raise security and service standards, and educate consumers on the differentiated quality of services.

"The Police will continue to work closely with key industry stakeholders such as the Union of Security Employees, the various security associations and relevant government agencies to improve the standard of security services," said the police in a news release on Thursday (Dec 15).

The detailed results are accessible online at http://www.police.gov.sg/licence