Police NSFs to fight cybercrimes and scams under new vocation

New initiatives that allow public to partner SPF in tackling scams also announced

- Samuel Devaraj and David

Police full-time national servicemen (NSFs) will be deployed as cybercrime operators, working with other police officers to tackle cybercrimes and scams.

The Singapore Police (SPF) is expected to introduce this new role, called the Cyber Police NSF vocation, in 2024.

Force Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat announced the new vocation on May 24 at the Police Workplan Seminar 2024, held at the Singapore University of Technology and Design in Upper Changi Road. The seminar's theme was A Future-Ready SPF: Cyber And Beyond.

DPM Heng, who was a police officer for 15 years, said the new vocation will allow the SPF to better tap the expertise of NSFs who can be deployed to the Cybercrime Command and the Anti-Scam Command to detect and disrupt cybercrimes and scams.

He said: "At the same time, I hope that this experience will be meaningful to NSFs and inspire them to deepen their expertise in the field, which would position them to seize new opportunities in our digital economy after (their operationally ready date)."

More details on the new vocation and when it will commence are expected to be announced in August.

In 2018, the Ministry of Defence launched its Cyber NSF Scheme, allowing NSFs with an aptitude for cyber security to become elite cyber defenders in the regular service, with a short-term contract scheme.

Those who take on the specialist vocation with Mindef are given on-the-job training and take relevant modules at local universities on a part-time basis. The module credits count towards a degree, should the NSF pursue one later.