Singapore passes new laws to protect private security officers from abuse

In the wake of increasing violence against security officers, writes Nicholas Dynon, Singapore’s parliament has passed new laws that set out new offences and penalties for those who harass, abuse or harm officers carrying out their duties.

The amendments to Singapore’s Private Security Industry Act (PSIA), which were passed by Parliament on 5 October 2021 (and took effect on 01 May), provide a new set of teeth to legislation that regulates – and now protects – the private security industry.

In particular, the changes see the introduction of enhanced penalties for offences by persons who (i) intentionally cause harassment, alarm or distress to; (ii) assault or use criminal force on; and (iii) voluntarily cause hurt to security officers.

The new penalties range from up to $5,000 fine and/or imprisonment up to 12 months for ‘intentionally causing harassment, alarm or distress’ to up to $10,000 fine and/or imprisonment up to five years for ‘voluntarily causing hurt’. Under the new legislation, harming a security officer in the course of their duties now carries the risk of harsher penalties than harming a member of the public:

A climate for change

In his second reading of the Private Security Industry (Amendment) Bill speech, Minister for Home Affairs Desmond Tan, Minister of State, Ministry of Home Affairs noted the important role played by security officers in the security of his country.

“Security officers are vital partners of the Home Team. They play important roles in safeguarding Singapore’s safety and security,” he stated. However, due to the publicfacing nature of their work, security officers face a significant risk of confrontation with people when carrying out their duties.

“While the large majority of the public are co-operative, there have been cases of persons confronting security officers carrying out their duties, with some going further to verbally or even physically abuse them.”

According to Mr Tan, from 2018 to 2020 (inclusive), there was an average of around 150 reported cases of abuse against security officers annually. A survey of security officers conducted by the Union of Security Employees and the Singapore University of Social Sciences in 2020 found that four in ten security officers experienced some form of abuse while on duty.

The survey of 1,002 security officers found that respondents reported that abuse had become increasingly common. The Covid-19 pandemic and officers’ role in asking visitors to premises to comply with physical distancing and hygiene measures was identified as a key driver of increased tensions. 37.2 percent of respondents indicated that they were verbally abused, and 4.8 percent said they were both verbally and physically abused. Depending on the facts and circumstances of each case, the action taken against offenders ranged from stern warnings to court prosecutions.

“Some cases are particularly egregious,” he continued. “In 2019, a security officer at Roxy Square was verbally abused and punched by a man; a video that captured the incident was circulated widely. Last year, a woman deliberately sneezed at a security officer at Ion Orchard, after she was denied entry for not wearing a mask.”

Enhanced Protection Despite the additional risks faced by security staff, there were no additional protection provisions for them in addition to those in existing laws that provide protection for all victims of harassment and abuse, such as in Singapore’s Protection from Harassment Act and Penal Code.

“The scope of the PSIA was therefore broadened to provide targeted enhanced protection for security officers performing security functions stipulated under the PSIA, to send a clear, deterrent signal against abuse and harassment of security officers,” said the minister.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs,” he said, “takes a serious view of harassment and abuse of security officers.”

In addition to providing enhanced protection for security officers against abuse and harassment while on duty, the new legislation also covers circumstances where the officer is abused while off duty, but where the abuse is in relation to the execution of the officer’s duties.

“Our security officers play an important role in keeping us safe and our premises secured,” said Mr Tan. “They deserve not just protection from harassment, alarm or distress. They deserve our respect. We can all start by acknowledging our security officers, by their names today, when we see them in our residences or our workplaces, and thanking them for doing what they do.”

Other initiatives In addition to the legislation, Singapore’s government has been progressing several initiatives to help raise industry standards, improve wages and improve the work conditions and environment for security officers.

According to Mr Tan, Singapore’s Progressive Wage Model (PWM) has improved wages for about 40,000 security officers. “Real median monthly gross wages for security officers grew cumulatively by 36 percent from 2014 to 2019, outstripping the 21 percent growth for workers in general.”

The PWM came into effect in September 2016, and is a licensing requirement for all security companies. It prescribes minimum wage levels for various ranks of security officers from entry level to senior security supervisors.

The Ministry of Home Affairs has also strongly encouraged industry to make use of technology, including body worn camera, to facilitate better onsite management or investigation into allegations of security officer abuse.