The Police Academy at Thomson Road, a Singapore institution for
76 years, will close its doors at the end of this year.
It will be relocated to new premises at the Home Team Academy in
Choa Chu Kang early next year.
On Saturday, retired police officers were back at their old
stomping ground to mark the closing of the Academy.
For retired police officers Muthu Veran and Madavy Nair, it's not
just a walk down memory lane.
It's also a walk down lover's lane because it was at the Police
Academy that they met and fell in love.
After a year's courtship, the two instructors got married in
1976.
They hold the distinction of being the first and only couple in
Singapore to have held their wedding at the Police Academy at
Thomson Road.
Madavy Nair said: "We were not earning much, and our director of
Police Academy, Eugene Wong, was very nice. He told us not to worry
about the money, saying 'we can provide you the chairs, tables, the
hall is free, everything is free, but you pay for the food and the
cleaners, which was $20'."
Since then the Academy has become a second home for Muthu and
Madavy, whose daughter also grew up on the grounds as well and who
later became an officer herself.
Madavy Nair said: "My daughter actually grew up here at the
academy. When she was in Primary 1, we didn't have a maid. During
lunch hour, I'd bring her to PA and I put her here and she would do
her home work, eat at the canteen and she'll run around here and
after work I will fetch her back."
Built in 1929, the Academy has seen generations of Police recruits
going through their training.
Old photos are the only reminders of a time long forgotten.
From the days when policemen wore shorts until the present day, the
grounds at the Academy have also gone through many upgrades.
Ong Boon Chye, retired chief drill instructor, said the 'most
significant' upgrade was the swimming pool.
He recalled that before the swimming pool was built in the 1970s,
training was conducted elsewhere, at Mount Emily.
After the pool was built, trainees could train within the Academy
grounds. - CNA/ir
