Police must not be used as a tool to make political points: Shanmugam

Government has to deal with society's fault lines, with police enforcing the law, he says

- David Sun

Confidence in the Singapore Police Force (SPF) remains high, but the relationship between the police and the community should not be taken for granted and allowed to turn adversarial.

In a speech at the Police Workplan Seminar and Exhibition at the Singapore Expo on Friday, Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam said there are lessons to be drawn from events elsewhere where the police are seen as the enemy rather than protector of the community.

He cited the January 2020 riot at Capitol Hill.

Supporters of former president Donald Trump, a Republican, stormed the seat of the United States government armed with stun guns, baseball bats and other weapons after he lost the election to President Joe Biden, a Democrat.

Mr Shanmugam said the police there were caught in the political maelstrom.

Although property was damaged, and more than 140 officers were injured and over 1,000 people were arrested, some in the media and politics tried to downplay the insurrection for their own gain.

"Fox News ran a story earlier this year, using some security footage that was shared by the Speaker of the House... The commentator said the Democrats lied to the Americans about the events," said Mr Shanmugam, who noted that the Speaker, a Republican, is second in the presidential line of succession.

The minister said political moves like these drag the police into the middle of political debates.

He added that it could happen in all democracies amid a tussle for political power, with certain groups or people using the police as a scapegoat or collateral damage in making political points.

"So, we try and avoid this, and support the police to be neutral and independent, not to be used for political purposes. Neither should the police be made a victim of politicking," said Mr Shanmugam.