Riot at Singapore Boys’ Home

Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Minister for Social and Family Development with regard to the riot at the Singapore Boys' Home (a) what are the measures and precautions in place to detect, pre-empt and deter such incidences from occurring again; (b) what are the standard operating procedures and protocols when mass disturbances occur; and (c) what is the number of disturbances that occurred over the last five years in the Home.

Mr Desmond Lee: Close coordination between MSF and MHA is key to ensuring safety and security within the Singapore Boys’ Home (SBH). There were three incidents of mass disturbance where resources from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) were activated in the last five years. MSF works closely with the Home Team departments to learn from these incidents in order to strengthen our standard operating procedures and activation protocols.

Early prevention and intervention is the first line of defence. MSF staff is trained to identify early signs of conflict. Youth management plans are developed to address tensions and to support the youths with counselling or psychological treatment where necessary. This allows the Home to manage conflicts before they escalate.

If an incident of mass disturbance were to happen, the MSF officers have been trained in a series of protocols, which include activating reinforcements, de-escalating the conflict, and physically separating residents to ensure their safety. The SPF is also activated as part of the protocol to pre-empt further escalations.

Post-incident, there are after-action reviews so that we can continue to improve the incident management and rehabilitation approach. Where necessary, the SPF will undertake investigations.