Police MRT Unit

The Police MRT Unit (PMU) ( _ms. Unit Polis MRT; _zh. 地铁警卫队) is a specialised unit of the Singapore Police Force, coming under the direct command of the Special Operations Command. It was established in 2005 in response to the need for greater security concerns in public transport operations in Singapore as a result of global security issues.

History

Plans to set up the unit was publicly announced by Minister for Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng during the annual Police Workplan seminar in April 2005. Officers began operational patrols on the Mass Rapid Transit network from 15 August 2005 amid much media attention, particularly in the wake of the 7 July 2005 London bombings in which Jean Charles de Menezes was killed by Metropolitan Police Service officers in a controversial shoot-to-kill policy adopted there. This issue was also brought up in Parliament on the same day, in which Wong clarified that no such policy is adopted here, although officers are trained to kill if considered necessary as is the standard procedure for the rest of the regular force.

Manpower and equipment

The PMU draws its manpower from the regular as well as the NSF resources, with the build of officers amongst the selection criteria. Taller and well-built officers are chosen to project a tougher presence. Officers are trained to conduct policing work in confined and crowded spaces, and are familiarised with the MRT system's operations. In 2007, the unit began to include Volunteer Special Constabulary officers in its ranks.

Each PMU officer is armed with a handgun and T-baton, as is the case for regular officers. Heavier weaponry commonly used by officers in other SOC units are deemed inappropriate for use in the confined and often crowded spaces of the MRT network. Officers are dressed in the new tactical uniforms similar to those worn by Police Tactical Unit officers, but wear blue-coloured berets.

Operations

PMU officers currently operate in pairs or larger groups in and around stations and trains on the MRT network. These patrols, which may include the inspection and searching of suspicious packages and persons, are deliberately kept random to retain an element of surprise for greater operational effectiveness.

Although currently deployed only on the MRT system, PMU officers may have their area of operations extended to the bus interchanges and terminals, which are currently patrolled by Neighbourhood Police Centre officers, pending an on-going evaluation.