High speed pursuits initiated by police and safety protocols for public safety

Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song: To ask the Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs (a) in each of the last three years, (i) how many high speed pursuits on Singapore roads were initiated by the police and (ii) how many resulted in traffic accidents; (b) whether the Ministry will review the safety protocols for such pursuits to prioritise public safety; and (c) what methods are used to track fleeing vehicles as alternatives to high speed chases.

Answer:

Mr K Shanmugam, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs:

1. The Police do not specifically track the number of high-speed pursuits initiated by the Police, or the number resulting in traffic accidents.

2. Safety is important in Police protocols on vehicle pursuits. There is specific training for officers on high-speed vehicle pursuits. As a general rule, only officers who have undergone such training engage in high-speed vehicle pursuits. Officers who have not undergone such training engage in vehicle pursuits with stricter safety limits. Officers will use sirens and blinkers to alert other road users during the pursuit and will terminate the pursuit if it becomes too dangerous.

3. We do not disclose details of the Police’s capabilities to track fleeing vehicles due to operational reasons.