BOON LAY GARDEN AREA (Police patrol)

Mr Ngeow Pack Hua asked the Minister for Home Affairs and Education whether he will consider sending more policemen to patrol the Boon Lay Garden area.

Mr Chua Sian Chin: Mr Speaker, Sir, Boon Lay Garden area is presently patrolled by one Team Policing car with four policemen, one scooter with two policemen, and three teams of 10 full-time Police National Servicemen on vertical policing on an 8-hour shift. Additional patrols are also performed by detectives from Jurong Police Station, Police Reserve Unit (PRU) Troops from PRUs 3 and 4, and members of the Special Constabulary under the neighbourhood policing scheme.

The crime rate in the Boon Lay Garden area is relatively low. For the first six months of this year, the number of offences committed in the area averaged about 15 per month as compared to the monthly average of 16 for the whole year of 1977.

The Police has, therefore, provided adequate coverage for the Boon Lay Garden area. It is, therefore, not necessary at this stage to deploy more policemen in the area. However, the crime rate in this area will continue to be monitored, as in all other areas in Singapore, and adjustment on the deployment of policemen will be made, when and where necessary.