The Singapore Police Radio Patrol Cars and Radio Network
| Date | 01 January 1950 |
| Published date | 01 January 1950 |
| Author | R. E. Foulger |
| DOI | 10.1177/0032258X5002300107 |
| Subject Matter | Article |
THE
SINGAPORE
POLICE
RADIO
PATROL
CARS 41
cerned, there are at present 3Foot Divisions (Central, Northern and
Southern) and IMechanised and Communications Division. Radio
Patrol Areas are superimposed over Foot Patrol Beats, so as to ensure
the greatest measure of co-operation between mechanised and foot
personnel.
The
boundaries of the Foot Patrol Beats and Radio Patrol
Areas may be seen on the Police map of the city.
Where county and borough Police areas impinge on each other, all
Officers should be conversant with Police boundaries.
The
fewer
Police boundaries there are, the better.
The
Singapore Police Radio Patrol Cars
and Radio Network
By R. E.
FOULGER
Commissioner of Police, Singapore
THI S note is written in order to show the value of Radio Patrol Cars
during an emergency and because experience gained here may
be of use elsewhere.
Public attention has been focussed mainly on the Malay Peninsula
rather than on the island of Singapore.
It
is not the object of this
article to retail the story of the activities of the Malayan Communist
Party,
but
it is a fact that the first smoke-house was
burnt
down and
the first grenade was thrown in
Singapore;
in addition violently
seditious posters were
put
up and circulated.
Firm
decisions were
taken by the Government followed by decisive Police action, and a
state of Emergency was declared on July
rjth,
1948. Raids, arrests
and convictions took place, and the leaders of the Malayan Communist
Party went underground.
It
was obvious, however,
that
the Party
programme aimed at destruction of property and assassinations.
Two courses were open to the
Police:
(a)
The
arrest of known members of the Party, and those who
were assisting them.
(b) Wholesale searches of persons and vehicles for firearms, sediti-
ous literature, etc., thereby making it difficult for evildoers
to move about and, at the same time, showing the public that
the authorities were taking active steps and were competent
to deal with the situation.
It
is concerning the second of these activities that the Police Radio
Cars and their teams have played so prominent apart.
July 1948 found the Radio Division of the Force equipped with
old Army
22
and other Service sets and assorted equipment left behind
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