The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is the national and principal law enforcement agency responsible for the prevention of crime and law enforcement in Singapore. It is the country's lead agency against organised crime, human and weapons trafficking, cyber crime and economic crimes which go across domestic and international borders. It can also be tasked with investigating any crime under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and is accountable to Parliament. The Police Force Act, Chapter 235 of Singapore provides for the constitution, administration, powers and discipline of the force.
SPF's main geographical area of responsibility covers the entire country, consisting of five regions which are further divided into 55 planning areas. The organisation has various staff departments with specific focuses. These include the Airport Police Division (APD), which covers policing of Singapore's main civilian airports of Changi and Seletar, or the Police Coast Guard (PCG), which protects and enforces areas under Singapore's territorial waters and its ports.
Formerly known as the Republic of Singapore Police (RSP), the SPF is a uniformed organisation. The SPF has declared its mission and vision as to "prevent, deter and detect crime to ensure the safety and security of Singapore". It is Singapore's point of contact for foreign agencies such as Interpol and other international law enforcement agencies. The organisational structure of the SPF is split between staff and line functions, which is roughly modelled after the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF).
The SPF currently consists of sixteen staff departments, four specialist staff departments, eighteen specialist and line units as well as seven land divisions. Its headquarters are located at one of the blocks of the New Phoenix Park building in the Novena district, which is located directly adjacent to a twin block occupied by the MHA. Situated within the headquarters are the Police Heritage Centre (PHC), which is open to the public and showcases the SPF's history through its various exhibits and multimedia displays.
As of 2023, the SPF has a strength of approximately 11,500 personnel: 10,400 sworn officers and 1,100 civilian staff. The SPF has generally been credited as being the forefront in keeping crime in Singapore low, as well as being relatively transparent in its policing. Accordingly, Singapore has been considered as being one of least corrupt and safest countries in the world. The SPF also works closely with the Internal Security Department (ISD) and the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB). As of January 2026, the current Minister of Home Affairs is K. Shanmugam, while the current commissioner of the SPF is How Kwang Hwee.
History
Early years The Singapore Police Force was founded in 1820, starting with just 11 men under the command of Francis James Bernard, the son-in-law of William Farquhar.Farquhar to Raffles, 5 May 1820, L.10, Straits Settlement Records. With no background nor knowledge on policing, Bernard had to work from scratch, as well as occasionally turning to Farquhar for help. In addition, he held multiple roles as magistrate, chief jailer, harbour master, marine storekeeper, as well as personal assistants to Farquhar. Farquhar informed Raffles that he had provisionally introduced licences for opium and alcohol sales that would raise $650 per month, with $300 of this sum being used to run a small police department.Farquhar to Raffles, 2 November 1819, L. 10, Straits Settlement Records.
As the department took form, Bernard became in charge of a writer, one jailor, one jemadar (sergeant) and eight peada (constables) by May 1820. Raffles approved these arrangements by August 1820 and cemented the formal establishment of a police force in Singapore.Jennings to Farquhar, 15 August 1820, L. 4, Straits Settlement Records. Manpower constraints meant that the men had to perform a wide range of roles, and required the help of headmen among the various ethnic communities to maintain orderliness on the streets.
Many laws that were enacted during this time remains in force today. These include the passing of Singapore's first arms law in March 1823, which heavily restricts the ability to bear arms. Nearly two centuries later, these anti-arms laws continue to be strictly enforced, resulting in a society relatively free from firearms-related criminal offences.
1965–present The SPF remains the sole policing force in Singapore after its independence. The country has one of the lowest murder rates in the world, as well as the lowest firearm-related death rates. The major crimes that tend to affect the Singaporean populace in the 21st century are usually cybercrimes, such as scams that are often based overseas. In 2020, cybercrimes made up almost half of all crimes in Singapore.
In 2025, Singapore police have investigated over 850 scam cases that have resulted in financial losses totaling approximately SG$15.4 million. These scams involve phishing, impersonation, and fraudulent online transactions, targeting individuals and businesses across the country. Authorities are actively working to identify the perpetrators, recover the stolen funds, and raise public awareness about scam prevention.
Organisational structure Leadership Rank and appointmentAbbreviationOffice holderCommissioner of PoliceCPHow Kwang HweeDeputy Commissioner of Police (Policy)DC(P)Teo Chun ChingDeputy Commissioner of Police (Investigations & Intelligence)DC(I&I)Zhang WeihanDeputy Commissioner of Police (Operations)DC(Ops)Alvin Moh
Staff departments DepartmentAbbreviationArea of responsibilityRefAdministration & Finance DepartmentA&FAdministrative, finance and procurement servicesCentre for Protective SecurityCPSTraining and maintenance of protective security standardsCommunity Partnership DepartmentCPDCommunity engagement and crime preventionInspectorate and Compliance OfficeInCoInternal audit and risk managementInternal Affairs OfficeIAOHandling of internal investigationsInternational Cooperation DepartmentICDMaintenance of relations with foreign law enforcement agencies as well as handling transnational and international police operationsManpower DepartmentMPDHuman resource management and recruitment programmesOnline Criminal Harms Act OfficeOCHAEnforcing the Online Criminal Harms Act through cooperation with online service providers and other government agencies to prevent and disrupt cyber crime.Operations DepartmentOPDResponsible for operational matters including the development of doctrines and standard operating procedures; oversees the Police Operations Command CentrePlanning and Organisation DepartmentP&OStrategic planning and organisational developmentPolice Regulatory DepartmentPRDProcessing and enforcement of various police licensesPolice Logistics DepartmentPLDProcurement, distribution and maintenance of equipmentPolice National Service DepartmentPNSDHuman resource management of Police National ServicemenPublic Affairs DepartmentPADPublic relations and media relationsService Delivery DepartmentSDDHandling of public feedback and service quality affairsTraining & Capability Development DepartmentTCDDDevelopment of training policy, methodologies and training safetyVolunteer Special ConstabularyVSCHuman resource management of volunteer police officers
Specialist staff departments DepartmentAbbreviationArea of responsibilityRefCommercial Affairs DepartmentCADDetection and investigation of financial crimeCriminal Investigation DepartmentCIDPrimary detective agency and investigative bodyOps-Tech DepartmentOTDDevelopment of Science & TechnologyPolice Intelligence DepartmentPIDGathering and processing of police intelligencePolice Psychological Services DepartmentPPSDHandling psychological matters
Specialist and land units UnitsAbbreviationArea of responsibilityRefAng Mo Kio Police Division'F' Division Ang Mo Kio, Serangoon, Hougang, Sengkang, Punggol, SeletarBedok Police Division'G' Division Changi, Pasir Ris, Tampines, Bedok, Paya Lebar, Marine Parade, Marina East, GeylangCentral Police Division'A' Division Downtown Core, Museum, Outram, Singapore River, Marina South, Straits View, Rochor, Kallang, Bukit Merah EastClementi Police Division'D' Division Clementi, Queenstown, Jurong East, Bukit Merah WestJurong Police Division'J' Division Jurong West, Choa Chu Kang, Bukit Panjang, Bukit Batok, Boon Lay, Pioneer, TuasTanglin Police Division'E' Division Bukit Merah, Bukit Timah, River Valley, Tanglin, Orchard, Novena, Toa Payoh, BishanWoodlands Police Division'L' Division Yishun, Sembawang, Woodlands, Mandai, KranjiAirport Police DivisionAPD Changi Airport, Seletar Airport, Changi Airfreight Centre, Airport Logistics ParkGurkha ContingentGCParamilitary/Counter-Terrorist UnitHome Team School of Criminal InvestigationHTSCIConduct training and courses for criminal investigatorsPolice Coast GuardPCGProviding law enforcement and conducting high-risk maritime operations within Singapore watersPolice Operations Command CentrePOCCCommand and control of day-to-day incidentsPublic Transport Security CommandTRANSCOMProtecting the public transport networkProtective Security CommandProComProtection of key installations and security at key national events and high-footfall public spacesPolice Security CommandSecComSecurity and protection of government officials such as the president, prime minister, Speaker Of Parliament, Chief Justice, Minister and other VVIPsSpecial Operations CommandSOCExecution of high-risk tactical operations such as hostage rescue, barricaded and armed suspects, and counterterrorism operations, as well as K-9 operations, crisis negotiation, and protection of vulnerable people in dangerous situations.Traffic PoliceTPEnforcement of traffic laws and providing police escortsTraining CommandTRACOMTraining of police officers and planning and execution of parades and other ceremonial functions
Land divisions are given designations according to the NATO phonetic alphabet.
Defunct land divisions include: Toa Payoh Police Division ('B' Division), merged with Tanglin Police Division Geylang Police Division ('C' Division), merged with Bedok Police Division
Finances The Singapore Police Force receives the highest budget allocation annually as compared to the various departments of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), typically accounting for about 50% of its annual budget. For the fiscal year of 2013 (for the year beginning 1 April 2013), S$3.89 billion was budgeted to the MHA, of which 47.8% or S$1.86 billion was allocated for the Police Programme. Actual expenses in the 2013 fiscal year were S$2.04 billion, of which S$1.88 billion was spent on operating expenditure (against the budgeted S$1.79 billion) and S$159.1 million on development expenditure (budgeted at $71.83 million). Manpower costs amounting to S$1.16 billion continue to dominate the SPF's expenditure, accounting for 61.7% of its operating expenditure and 56.9% of total expenditure in FY2013.
The latest budget for fiscal year 2015, S$2.47 billion was allocated to the Police Programme, or 49.5% of MHA's total budget of S$5 billion (the Ministry of Defence, in comparison, received a S$13.12 billion budget allocation). This includes S$2.26 billion for Operating Expenditure and $210.93 million for Development Expenditure. The main Development Expenditures expected in FY2015 included the construction of new buildings such as the Woodlands Police Divisional HQ as well as the acquisition of new patrol craft for the Police Coast Guard and the installation of police cameras at more HDB blocks and multi-storey car parks.
Manpower Manpower trends from 2013 to 2020 are shown below: