Police debut high-tech gear for Marina Bay Countdown security operations

As part of heightened security efforts, the police deployed two new technologies — including a drone prototype — along with more than 700 officers in the vicinity of the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown (MBSC) 2018 on New Year’s Eve (31 December).

The new 12kg drone prototype, one of two Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) put into action during the event, is equipped with a blinker, searchlight and audio warning system that can play pre-recorded messages from the police and provide aerial situational pictures to the command post.

These UAVs, which can be both deployed both day and night, can be used for different police operations such as security operations during major events, search and rescue operations, hostage and barricaded situations, public order incidents and enforcement operations.

Developed over a few months with industry partners such as security solutions company AETOS Holdings, the UAV prototype is operated by a controller from within a radius of 100m and can last up to 20 minutes when untethered from a power supply.

At a media briefing held last Thursday (28 December), a police spokesman said selected officers will be trained in how to operate the UAV prototype, which is expected to be operationalised by the fourth quarter of next year.

Part of an ongoing trial, three new CCTV cameras with speaker and light capabilities, out of more than 50 cameras, were also deployed at the MBSC 2018.

Upon the detection of suspicious activities, these cameras will play a pre-recorded message warning perpetrators of the police’s presence – which lets perpetrators know that the authorities are aware of their actions and may help in preventing various situations from escalating.

The lights on the cameras, one regular and one strobe, will also serve as a warning while also brightening up the immediate location. These CCTV cameras — placed at the Esplanade waterfront near Jubilee Bridge, Mist Walk at the Lower Boardwalk of Marina Bay, Bayfront MRT Exit E — will be removed after the event.

A police spokesman said there have been no incidents caught by a fourth CCTV camera that was installed along River Valley Road in Clarke Quay since October.

“The deployment of the new technologies on New Year’s Eve serves to complement and enhance our security operations to ensure that the public is able to celebrate safely,” said the spokesman.

Organised annually since 2005 by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown is the nation’s largest countdown celebration. More than 350,000 people were expected to turn up for the MBSC 2018 event.

Apart from regular police officers, snipers from the Special Tactics and Rescue Team, Gurkha Contingent officers, Special Operations Command officers, Protective Security Command, Public Transport Security Command and Emergency Response Team were also deployed at the event.

In total, more than 1,750 officers were deployed elsewhere, with 25 countdown events – excluding the MSBC 2018 – held across the island.

A new Division Command Vehicle (DCV), one of two such vehicles acquired by the police, was also deployed in the Clarke Quay area.

Typically stationed in the vicinity of a prolonged incident, such as a riot or hostage situation, the DCV is equipped with a 360-degree full-HD pan–tilt–zoom camera that can view incidents up to 150m away, as well as an external briefing area and police systems for command and control.

For instance, the camera can zoom into the crowd during a situation and identify the ringleader amid a group of troublemakers. The vehicle is able to house around three to six officers and takes minutes to set up, about an hour less than the bigger Forward Command Vehicles (FCVs) that the police have been using since 2009.

The FCV, similar in size to a regular bus, takes up three times its size when fully extended. As such, the vehicle will pose difficulties when it is set up in places with space constraints, such as Housing and Development Board carparks.

“We are looking at phasing out the FCVs, but we have not confirmed it yet,” said a police spokesman. The police currently have a fleet of six FCVs.

Moving forward, the police plan to have at least six DCVs to roll out to the rest of their land divisions.

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