A Captain of Lives

A Captain of Lives
PHOTO: A Captain of Lives

What you need

Entry requirements for Prison Officers (Sergeant):

Diploma from any of the five local polytechnics,Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, or LASALLE College of the Arts

A-level certificate;

International Baccalaureate Diploma;

NUS High School Diploma

Entry requirements for Prison Officers (Corporal):

Higher National Institute of Technical Education Certificate (Higher Nitec);

Nitec;

O-level certificate

Career prospects:

The Singapore Prison Service believes in maximising officers' potential. All officers can expect to be exposed to the various areas of prison work.

Depending on their aptitude and potential, subsequent postingsmaybe to different aspects of ground operations, specialist vocations and staff work.

Within 10 years in the Singapore Prison Service, he hasdone a range of duties, from being deskbound to the outdoors.

During that time, RO2Teng Song Guan, 38, has been a personal supervisor, a planning and management officer, and even a research and statistics officer.

Mr Teng, now a memberof the Singapore Prison Emergency Action Response (Spear) Force, finds this job rotation fulfilling.

Hesaid: "This gives more depth to mycareer. Prison officers are all trying to make Singapore a safer place to live in.

"We help rehabilitate prisoners and also facilitate their search for jobs before their release from prison."

In his current role, Mr Teng is responsible for deployment, exercises and emergency training of members of the Spear Force.

The Spear Force's primary role is quelling any disturbances in our prisons, such as riots.

But they also escort high-risk prisoners for medical treatment at hospitals or for hearings at the courts.

He said: "Every day has something different. Even the same thing can be done differently.

"My daily routine at Spear Force comprises physical training in the mornings, followed by scenario training and exercises in the afternoons to test our doctrines, tactics and execution of duties."

Surprisingly, Mr Teng, whose fit and lithe physique belies his age, did not immediately choose a career in the Prison Service.

"Aftermynational service, I thought a regimented life was not for me. As I was on an Economic Development Board scholarship for my polytechnic studies, I worked in Sony for 41/2 years after my national service stint.

"But I later found the job monotonous. As I was going to get married soon, I decided to look for a more secure job.

"One day, I was surfing the Net when I came across the words Captains of Lives in a job advertisement. The words intrigued me and I examined the job scope more closely.

"I liked it and joined the Prison Service in 2002," said the Diploma in Manufacturing graduate from Nanyang Polytechnic.

As a diploma holder, Mr Teng entered the Prison Service as a sergeant. His consistently good performance led to him being emplaced in the Senior Prison Officer scheme in 2008.

He said: "If you work hard and perform well, your efforts will be acknowledged and rewarded.

Best Employer

"It is also good to know that the Singapore Prison Service has received the AON Hewitt Best Employer in Singapore award on three consecutive occasions - in 2007, 2009 and 2011 - and the AON Hewitt Best Employer in Asia Pacific award in 2011."

Mr Teng, a father of two children, aged 10 and 11/2, takes the Captain of Lives tagline seriously.

"During my first posting as a prison officer at Queenstown Remand Prison, there was an inmate who was serving an 18-month jail term for drug consumption. He used to help the officers in their duties.

"During the nine months I knew him, his behaviour was good and I thought he would never re-offend. But some time later, while I was a prison officer involved in registering new inmates, I saw the same man coming down from a prison bus.

"He was sentenced to jail for drug trafficking this time.

"I was disappointed as I thought that he could be changed, but I soon realised that the change does not come easily for every inmate," he said.

He realised that the tagline goes beyond the prison setting.

"We are also Captains of Lives among our family, colleagues and friends. About five years ago, a new colleaguewas regularly late for work," Mr Teng said.

"I learnt he had family problems and often stayed out late to avoid confronting his family. He would then return home for a few hours' sleep and go to work. But he was late most of the time."

After counselling and helping the man, Mr Teng saw that he was no longer late for work.

He said: "He even gave me a thank you card. I was touched by the gesture and glad that I had helped him.

"Anyone who aspires to be a prison officer should have passion for the job.

He or she should also be proactive, have foresight and anticipate what is going to happen way before it happens."

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