Shanmugam warns of 'zero tolerance' for abuse against Home Team officers: report
Amid an increase in cases of abuse against Home Team officers, there will be “zero tolerance” for those who verbally or physically abuse officers, said Minister for Home Affairs (MHA) K Shanmugam on Wednesday (27 Sept).
Shanmugam, who is also the Minister for Law, was speaking at an awards ceremony at the Home Team Academy. He cited an increase in verbal and physical attacks against officers from 2014 to 2016 – a 65 per cent increase, reported Channel NewsAsia. A total of 484 cases were recorded in 2016.
According to Shanmugam, MHA has been in talks with the Attorney-General’s Chambers (AGC) to impose heavier sentences against people who hinder officers from doing their duties.
Shanmugam cited the example of an incident where a human resources executive slapped a policeman who found him lying on the ground and tried to help him up. The man’s jail term was increased from one week to 10 weeks after the prosecution appealed.
He also mentioned the case involving an Australian man who was convicted over a drunken brawl with police officers in Changi Airport. Jason Peter Darragh had his jail term increased by two months to eight-and-a-half months following an appeal by the prosecution. Six officers were needed to subdue Darragh after he abused two officers at the airport.
“MHA will work, and has been working with AGC, to press for deterrent, harsher sentences for anyone who obstructs our officers from carrying out their duties, particularly if they are violent,” said Shanmugam.
Other Singapore stories:
