Armed Certis cop arrested in Victoria Street; officer did not return gun and 10 bullets after duty
A manhunt involving more than 100 police officers was launched on May 9, after a Certis auxiliary police officer did not return his revolver and 10 bullets after his shift.
At a media briefing on May 10, the police said the Singaporean man, 27, was arrested within 2½ hours after a report was lodged at 9.50pm on May 9, following the completion of his shift at Changi Airport.
Officers from the Criminal Investigation Department and Special Operations Command were among the units activated.
The man, who holds the rank of sergeant, began his shift at 7.45am on May 9 and ended at 7.45pm the same day.
He was supposed to return his equipment by 8.30pm but failed to do so, causing the armoury system to issue an alert at around 8.35pm. Closed-circuit television footage showed him leaving the airport in civilian clothes before the police arrived.
He had been carrying a fully loaded Taurus revolver which had five bullets, a speed loader with another five bullets, and a baton in a pouch.
He was spotted walking around aimlessly past midnight in a shopping mall in Victoria Street when he was arrested.
The police said he did not put up a struggle and did not try to reach for the gun, which remained in the pouch.
Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police Zhang Weihan said: “The man involved in the unlawful carrying of a firearm has demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law and abused the firearms entrusted to him for his duties.
“Police officers had worked tirelessly to secure his swift arrest and ensured that public safety was maintained.”
The man will be charged on May 11 with the offence of unlawful carrying of a firearm. If found guilty, he can be jailed for up to 14 years and caned. Police said they intend to send the suspect for psychiatric assessment.
It is not known why the man did not return his weapon, or what he was planning to do with it.
In response to queries from The Straits Times, a spokesman for Certis said the officer has been suspended, and it will cooperate with investigations.
He said: “Certis has put in place stringent systems and processes to detect and deal with such incidents in a timely manner, including a warning system that triggers an alert when a firearm is not returned post-duty.
“The safety of the public is our utmost priority. Certis has zero tolerance for misuse of firearms and we expect full compliance from our officers to adhere to our strict protocol on weapons and controlled equipment.”
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