Brighter backlanes and more CCTVs to help police keep crime at bay in Geylang

Geylang's backlanes will be brightened up and more CCTVs will be installed to keep crime at bay, said the commanding police officer of the area on Thursday, after Geylang was flagged as a hotspot for crime in a recent high-profile inquiry.

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Here is a recent post by Assoc Prof Fatimah Lateef, MP for Marine Parade GRC:

Since becoming the MP for Geylang Serai, which is a very large constituency and covers Geylang Lorongs 22 to 42 (the lower lorongs are in Kallang Moulmein GRC), I have done so much on disamenities related to vice, but I have not shared on a public platform before.

Now, the Commissioner of Police has made some comments, so let me share openly for the first time.

Here is a very summarised version of efforts which are still ongoing today.

Efforts in Geylang Lorongs 22 to 42 under the ward of Geylang Serai in Marine Parade GRC

Much efforts has been put in on the ground since 2006 and these continue. These include

1. Regular area and site visits to understand issues as each lorong may have unique issues

2. Day visits and night walks and visits have been ongoing

3. Stakeouts and surveillance by working with relevant residents and stakeholders in a team-based approach

4. Understanding the dynamics is critical and can only be obtained by much ground work and assessment which continues

5. Setting up a task force with multiple agencies and grassroots and activists as well as residents. These groups will have meetings planned as required, and each issues is managed in a strategised and targeted fashion

6. Work with agencies like URA , MOM (foreign workers, dorms, crowding issues) LTA ( traffic and parking issues as well as safety issues), police and anti-vice and others as required eg: PUB , NEA, etc. Other issues related to high human traffic and load eg littering, parking, safety issues etc are explored very regularly. I am very particular about the follow up with these agencies and they need to update me on a timely basis

7. We have managed to sort out and solved many issues based on a targeted approach, working with specific condos, MCSTs, resident groups, grassroots, as well as agencies. But understanding of the dynamics of the area and the vice trade is crucial. In some areas, it could be a " cat-and-mouse game"

8. Regular, roving dialogues with different groups in a targeted way, including pub managers

9. Light up of dark back lanes and lorongs. To date, 133 lamp post have been added since 2007, and the efforts continue

10. CCTV installation at strategic locations

11. Grassroots patrol. I am in the area at least twice a week or more if required

12. Parliament questions have been filed and even brought up at COS debates. The latest Parliament question filed by myself is dated 17 March for the April sitting ( this is even before the police commissioner made the comment). By the way, these responses are made public

13. Efforts are continuous and ongoing all the time in a collaborative fashion

14. I have also put forth a concept paper since 2007 on proposed plans, which I continue to discuss with relevant personnel during our many meetings

As an action-orienated person who expects results, I have indeed waited very long for the higher authorities to effect the change my grassroots leaders, my residents and I want to see.

After spending hundreds of hours (maybe more) of meeting police, anti-vice officers, multiple agencies, I am still waiting for their concrete action plan.

If prostitution has to continue, keep it systematic, clean, indoors, organised, and regulated properly.

These are not too difficut to do if the will is there.

I have been waiting. Not just waiting but, waiting and doing a lot of things within my capabilities as one person, one MP, one woman.

I am still waiting for the relevant authorities to act in a major way, in a major clean up.

8 years of efforts and small positive changes already effected cannot go to waste, and my perseverance will not dwindle.

If I (one woman) can approach a man selling contraband cigarettes and make him run off scared, leaving the box with me, and then waiting for the police to come and take that box from my own hands, I will do what I have to do as the people's representive even if it takes a long time. My grassroots officers can vouch for that. I have the stamina.