Singapore’s new healthcare security group to help identify threats, boost preparedness

SINGAPORE – On June 20, 2015, a 26-year-old man who was in remand for vehicle theft was escorted by two police officers to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital after complaining of chest pains.

He then got into a scuffle with one of the officers and snatched his revolver, firing three shots as he tried to escape from custody. The policeman was wounded in his left thumb and right foot.

The incident underscored the reality that healthcare facilities are not immune to security threats.

To bolster defences and better protect medical premises, a Healthcare Industry Safety and Security Watch Group (Healthcare iSSWG) was launched on Oct 14 under a public-private security initiative led by the Singapore Police Force.

As with other sectors under the iSSWG initiative – such as hospitality, finance and transport – healthcare organisations will be equipped with skills to identify and respond to security threats, including crime and scams targeting the sector.

The new watch group – the 11th formed since the programme began in 2008 – is currently developing tailored exercises to educate healthcare staff.

The Singapore Medical Association will serve as a liaison between the police and healthcare industry to promote regular sharing of crime and security advisories with healthcare workers and stakeholders.

Because the authorities cannot prevent every plot or attack on their own, Singapore’s strongest defence is a vigilant and resilient community, said Sim Ann, Second Minister for Home Affairs and Foreign Affairs.

“Healthcare institutions are integral to our medical response during a crisis, but they are not immune to safety and security threats.

“High footfall, frontline operations and the presence of vulnerable patients make sustained preparedness imperative in an increasingly complex operating environment,” she said when announcing the launch at Orchard Hotel Singapore.

Healthcare workers may also encounter verbal abuse, threats and, at times, physical violence, she added.

“Such conduct is unacceptable. It jeopardises staff well-being, disrupts operations and compromises the safe environment required for the delivery of quality care,” she said.

On Sept 30, the Tripartite Workgroup for the Prevention of Abuse and Harassment of Healthcare Workers said that abuse and harassment cases reported in the public healthcare sector have nearly doubled over two years, with 13% of them being serious enough to report to the police.

In her speech, Sim also highlighted the Internal Security Department’s assessment on Sept 10 that Singapore’s terrorism threat remains high, driven by global conflicts and online extremist content that have accelerated youth radicalisation.

Such radicalisation cases have almost quadrupled over the past five years. There were four cases between 2017 and 2021, spiking to 15 since 2022.

Sim also noted that during social experiments conducted by SGSecure in 2025, only about 17% of passers-by noticed a suspicious suitcase or vehicle. Of these, only about 5% intended to alert, or alerted, the authorities.

At the event on Oct 14, she also presented the National Safety and Security Watch Group and Threat-Oriented Person Screening Integrated System awards to 185 members and 24 organisations respectively.

They have adopted good workplace security practices against terrorist threats, engaged in emergency planning, conducted security exercises and adopted technologies such as CCTV and access-control systems.

One of the recipients was UOB. Marcus Lai, managing director for the bank’s group corporate and real estate services, said that a man had allegedly started a fire at the entrance of a mosque in the basement of UOB Plaza on Sept 25.

“With CCTV cameras all around our premises, we notified the police and handed over the footage. The police nabbed the accused within hours,” he said.

Another recipient was the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore, which is rolling out threat screening to 32 churches by Dec 25.

Andre Achak, the Archdiocese communications director, said that so far, 4,000 staff and volunteers have been trained in identifying threats, but there is still work to be done.

He shared that during one training exercise, security personnel were so distracted helping churchgoers navigate the building that they overlooked a simulated suspicious bag.

After reviews, they realised the mistake can be avoided in the future if staff and volunteers are more situationally aware.

The push for vigilance follows two security scares at St Joseph’s Church in Bukit Timah.

During a mass on Nov 9, 2024, a 38-year-old man stabbed a priest in the mouth with a foldable knife. He was later sentenced to four years, three months’ jail and nine strokes of the cane.

On Dec 21, 2025, a 26-year-old man was arrested after he claimed to have discovered a suspicious item at the church. Police officers evacuated the premises, and the Singapore Armed Forces’ Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Explosive Defence Group was activated.

The item was assessed to be three cardboard rolls and wires stuck together with black tape, with no explosive elements present, police said. The man was arrested under anti-terrorism laws for his suspected involvement.