Record 875 awards given out at ceremony to recognise professionalism of security officers

SINGAPORE – The security landscape in Singapore has undergone significant changes and it will continue to evolve, said Mr Shawn Huang, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Manpower.

He was speaking at the Security Association Singapore’s (SAS) 11th annual Security Officers’ Day Awards 2025, where the best in the industry are recognised for their professionalism.

“To stay ahead, we must continue to embrace innovation boldly. Technologies like integrated sensors, robotics, and smart surveillance are no longer just futuristic concepts, they are already transforming how security operations are delivered today,” Mr Huang said at the ceremony held at Temasek Polytechnic on July 24.

To this end, the Government has worked closely with the industry to develop and refresh the Security Industry Transformation Map, he added, encouraging security agencies to harness technology to boost productivity, enhance security outcomes and add value to security officers’ careers.

One of the recipients of the Job Redesign Award, senior security supervisor Muhammad Iskandar Abdullah, was cited as an example of how officers can take on new functions or to add value to the roles of others by the use of technology.

Said Mr Huang: “Officer Iskandar incorporated centralised live monitoring and virtual patrols that allow officers to supervise multiple sites in real time, thereby increasing site surveillance coverage and enabling immediate incident escalation.

“He also initiated training programmes to equip other officers with digital skills, empowering them to adapt and excel in an increasingly digital workplace.” 

The ceremony saw a record 875 awards presented to recipients in categories such as the Security Officers of the Year, SAS President’s Medal of Professionalism, USE (Union of Security Employees) Outstanding Security Officers Award, Job Redesign Awards, Auxiliary Police Officers of the Year and Outstanding Auxiliary Police Officers Award.

The ceremony, co-organised by Temasek Polytechnic Security Industry Institute, is a reflection of how “SAS has stood with security officers, the guardians who work in the shadows... so Singapore can thrive”, said SAS president Kelvin Goh.

While security officers are now the highest-paid workers across all Progressive Wage Model sectors, Mr Goh acknowledged that work hours remain long for them amid a manpower shortage of officers.

“While cutting shift durations to eight hours is very complex and difficult to achieve, our priority is clear. We want to replace the 26 days of work in a month to something less,” he said.

Mr Goh added that employers could consider giving more days off to security officers based on their length of service. Such a move would require support from security employers and clients, who would have to weigh cost factors and manpower needs.

Security supervisor Vincent Ong, from Metropolis Security Systems, received the Security Officer of the Year 2025 award with five other winners.

He was lauded for his response during a fire in the basement carpark of a condominium in August 2024. The 64-year-old officer had braved thick smoke and heat to fight the fire with an extinguisher and prevent it from spreading to other vehicles, while alerting his colleagues at the same time.

For his quick and bold action, Mr Ong was also awarded the SCDF Community Responder Award in September 2024.

Mr Ong said that being a security officer today is different from the past as it requires technical knowledge, professionalism and an understanding of the law.

“I would say you have to keep cool, you need to know how to deal (with people) and you need to know the law,” he added.

One of the six awards for the Auxiliary Police Officer of the Year 2025 went to Staff Sergeant Stacia Lim, 30, from Certis Cisco Aviation Security.

She had helped to defuse a situation involving a man who was behaving erratically in the middle of the road at the arrival drop-off point at Changi Airport Terminal 4 on Oct 30, 2024.

Said Staff Sgt Lim: “It was alarming. We felt that he was going to cause danger to others and himself. When the vehicles were coming out from the carpark, he charged towards them.”

Acting swiftly, she and her colleagues managed to detain the man with a flexi-cuff as he continued to struggle even after he fell on the ground.

“I was very concerned for the safety of everyone in the vicinity – the offender, other members of the public and my officers,” said Staff Sgt Lim.