Police raise crime prevention awareness among Bukit Panjang elderly

Bukit Panjang Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) has rolled out the Community Policing System (COPS) and the 'Silver Watch Group @ Bukit Panjang' initiative to raise crime awareness among elderly residents.

The event, held at Blk 259 Bangkit Road today, seeks to generate awareness about the enhanced capabilities of Bukit Panjang NPC under COPS.

COPS is a transformation of the NPC policing model that builds on the success of police's community policing strategy and brings the police closer to the community. COPS was first launched in May 2012. Since then, 20 of the 35 NPCs across Singapore have implemented COPS in phases.

In this penultimate phase, Bukit Panjang NPC joins their ranks, along with seven other NPCs - Bukit Batok, Queenstown, Bukit Merah West, Kampong Java, Ang Mo Kio North, Yishun North and Bedok South. The remaining seven NPCs will complete the transformation into COPS by 2015.

Bukit Panjang NPC Community Policing Officers and the newly appointed Silver Watch Ambassadors

The 'Silver Watch Group' programme (SWG) seeks to impart the elderly residents with crime prevention knowledge in a supportive and friendly approach to prevent them from becoming victims of crime.

The 'Silver Watch Group @ Bukit Panjang' is an initiative by the Jurong Police Division. This initiative seeks to appoint elderly residents who are above 50 years old, technology savvy, able to speak and understand English and converse with other elderly residents in various languages and dialects as Silver Watch Ambassadors.

Commander of Jurong Police Division, Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police Wilson Lim and Dr Teo appointing Silver Watch Ambassador, Mr Johnson Choo

Together with the Community Policing Officers from Bukit Panjang NPC, these Silver Watch Ambassadors will join in the patrols conducted at areas frequently patronised by elderly residents to provide crime advisories in a more effective manner by conversing in a language or dialect that these elderly would be comfortable in.

22 Silver Watch Ambassadors were appointed at the event today. This initiative will be expanded and rolled out to the other two constituencies in Bukit Panjang.

Dr Teo Ho Pin, Grassroots Advisor, Mayor of North West District and Member of Parliament for Bukit Panjang Constituency graced the event as the guest-of-honour.

Speech by GOH for the event, Dr Teo Ho Pin, Grassroots Advisor, Mayor of North West District and Member of Parliament for Bukit Panjang Constituency

spanaech@sph.com.sg