PUBLISHED ONJune 03, 2026 12:00 PMBYKoh Xing YingMore than 290 participants from various police divisions, specialist units, and cadets from the National Police Cadet Corps gathered to mark the annual Police Day at a parade at the Home Team Academy on Wednesday (June 3).
In its 55th year, the event was graced by Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong, who noted that the nature of crime is constantly evolving and becoming more complex yet less visible.
"Despite these challenges, the Singapore Police Force continues to serve with unwavering dedication, working to stay ahead of emerging threats and to protect our way of life," he said.
"On Police Day, we honour their commitment, recognise their sacrifices, and express our gratitude to them and their families for all they do to keep Singapore safe."
A total of 16 awards including Best Land Division, Best National Service Operationally Ready Unit, Best Full-time Police National Service Officer, and Best Police National Serviceman of the Year were presented at the event.
Among the award recipients was Jurong Police Division, which was named Best NS Operationally Ready Unit.
The unit's commander, Superintendent of Police (NS) Wilson Tan, said the recognition reflected the high standards across all units.
"Having missed out on the championship by just a single point over the last two years, we know first-hand how exceptionally high the standards are across the Force," he said.
"The fierce competition is a testament to the incredible dedication of every NS unit in the SPF, all of whom are performing at an elite level. This win belongs not just to Jurong, but to the entire PNS ecosystem that pushes us all to be better."
Bedok Police Division was awarded the Best Land Division award. Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Tay, who heads the division, told reporters the recognition reflects the collective efforts of his officers on the ground.
"The sacrifice is not mine, but rather the sacrifices made by the men and women of Bedok Police Division, who work hard every day, rain or shine, to keep our neighbourhoods safe and secure," he said.
"This achievement would not have been possible without the strong support of our community partners and stakeholders who work together with us to co-create safer communities."
Tay, who assumed command less than a year ago, said one of the biggest challenges in policing large-scale events lies in the extensive preparations.
"The challenge is always in the planning. This takes up more time than the actual deployment itself," he said.
"We have to be familiar with the operating terrain and the areas we are responsible for — to identify potential vulnerabilities and plug those gaps. At the same time, we have to ensure sufficient manpower, logistics and administrative support are in place."
While Bedok Police Division oversees several major events each year, including the year-end countdown celebrations in Kallang, the annual Geylang Serai Ramadan Bazaar, and the upcoming National Day celebrations, Tay stressed that teamwork remains critical when responding to incidents.
"Whenever there is a case that requires urgent attention, the whole team comes together from different functional areas to resolve the case as quickly as possible."
Tay also credited the dedication and perseverance of his officers, citing a case involving a man who mailed pork to several mosques as an example.
"Even though there was not much to work with in terms of CCTV footage and forensic evidence, the officers really went all out and conducted painstaking detective work. They eventually managed to solve the case," he said.
Bedok Police Division was last awarded Best Land Division in 2020 for its performance in 2019.
When asked what inspired him to join the force, Tay said films and television programmes played a role in shaping his aspirations.
@asiaone Assistant Commissioner of Police Paul Tay commands the best police land division - Bedok Police Division - think you know him? Let's find out. #sgnews #Singapore #Police #Leaders ♬ original sound - AsiaOne
"Growing up I was in the era where Hong Kong movies were quite hot, now it's K-drama, so yes there was some influence from watching all the Hong Kong cop shows," said the father of two.
"Locally, it would be Crimewatch and that shaped my impression and gave me positive reflection of the police force and I thought it would be cool to be one of them."
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xingying.koh@asiaone.com