THE brutal stabbings in Kallang and Selegie have raised concerns
about the safety of residents in Singapore. Crime occurs because
there is an opportunity, and because of a perception that not being
caught is a possibility.
In Singapore, there is a lack of police presence in public
places like shopping and entertainment areas and housing estates.
Some have noticed this and called for more police patrols.
It is far better to deter criminals and prevent crime from
taking place in the first place, no matter how good the
investigative prowess of our police force. Moreover, investigating
a crime entails huge manpower and resources.
Perhaps, we can emulate Japan, where the crime rate is very low.
In Tokyo, for instance, police posts are found all over the city.
Police officers patrol on bicycles, even at night. In Singapore,
police officers are often seen going about their duties in their
patrol cars. But to term this as police patrols is far-fetched.
For public safety, police presence in public places here must be
enhanced.
Roger Poh
