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Senior Assistant Commissioner (SAC) Daniel Tan’s policing philosophy is simple: prevention before enforcement. As the Traffic Police Commander, he oversees operations that affect every road user, yet his path here was an unexpected one.
“I had no childhood ambition to be a Police officer, but when the opportunity presented itself, I jumped at the chance,” SAC Tan reflects. “I felt strongly about doing what’s right, and being in the Police is an extension of that.”
That moral compass has guided him through a 29-year career across multiple units and even beyond the Singapore Police Force (SPF) at some points.
Built on Principle
When SAC Tan joined the SPF in 1996, he formed bonds that would last throughout his career. Over the decades, they’d rely on one another through a range of professional challenges.
His cohort at the Senior Officer Basic Course included colleagues like SAC Edwin Lim, now Director of the Ops-Tech Department (OTD), with whom he still works closely nearly three decades later.
His first posting as an Investigation Officer at Central Police Division gave him a ground-level understanding of how crime affects communities. “The cases taught me that behind every incident, there are real people whose lives are impacted,” he explains.
His early career spanned diverse roles across the Operations Department, Traffic Police, Central Police Division and Security Command. As Second Deputy Director of Operations, he was instrumental in the SPF’s transition from the Taurus M85 service revolver to the Glock 19 service pistol.
“I've had the privilege of being exposed to many areas of policing and beyond,” SAC Tan notes.
Beyond the Force
What sets SAC Tan apart is his willingness to step outside his comfort zone. His external secondments – first to the Monetary Authority of Singapore in 2008, then as Deputy Commissioner (Policy & Transformation) at Singapore Prison Service (SPS) from 2020 to 2023 – provided fresh perspectives that proved invaluable in his leadership roles.
During his SPS tenure, he helped develop the Communications and Data Master Plans in 2021. “Working at the SPS showed me the end result of what happens when crime prevention fails for certain offenders,” SAC Tan explains. “It strengthened my conviction that we must intervene earlier, before problems escalate.”
Confronting Today’s Challenges
When SAC Tan returned to the SPF as Commander of the Traffic Police in 2023, he noted the challenges faced by road users. “Every traffic fatality represents a life lost, and a family forever changed.” He explains. “What concerns me most is that vulnerable road users – motorcyclists, pillion riders and elderly pedestrians – are disproportionately affected.”
The statistics represent more than numbers to him: “Our most complex operational challenge today is the rising number of accidents involving injuries and fatalities that we’ve seen in the first half of 2025, continuing a three-year upward trend.
His response to this rising trend has been comprehensive: a three-pronged approach comprising education, engagement and enforcement. This includes stepped-up operations, the introduction of Traffic Violation Enforcement Cameras (TVECs) and updated safety standards for motorcycle helmets and child seats.
“The TVEC detects and captures traffic offences in real time through video analytics and Automatic Number Plate Recognition,” SAC Tan explains. “It can detect violations such as crossing double white lines, red light offences and vehicles stopping in yellow boxes.”
Innovation Meets Tradition
Under his leadership, the Traffic Police also deployed electric vehicles operationally in 2025. “Our new expressway patrol cars are not only environmentally friendly, they are also high-performance cars, packed with advanced technology for effective policing and keep our officers safe,” he notes.
Developed in collaboration with the Home Team Science and Technology Agency, the Traffic Police began trialling the Handheld Breath Evidential Analyser (HBEA) from 5 September 2025, which produces court-admissible results directly at roadside stops, streamlining drink-driving enforcement.
Strategic Vision and Leadership
SAC Tan has also strengthened engagements and established partnerships with police forces globally – from Malaysia and Hong Kong to Belgium, Spain, Australia and Japan. “Road safety challenges are universal,” he explains. “Learning from international best practices helps us stay ahead of emerging trends.”
This global perspective informs his strategic transformation of the Traffic Police. Under his guidance, the unit developed the Future of Traffic Policing 2030 Strategic Plan, which encompasses a range of road safety initiatives.
But SAC Tan doesn’t lead from behind a desk. Having obtained his Class 2 licence as Commander, he rides monthly with his officers to stay connected to ground realities: “My vision is for road safety to evolve from enforcement to proactive prevention, whereby we prevent accidents before they happen rather than responding after they’ve occurred.”
His aspiration remains ambitious yet achievable. “I hope for zero fatalities and for every road user to reach their destination safely, every single day,” he says. “Two road habits would make an enormous difference in achieving this: staying focused and being gracious.”
From a young child with little notion of what policing is to a Commander shaping Singapore’s road safety future, SAC Daniel Tan’s journey exemplifies how strong principles, combined with diverse experiences and unwavering commitment, can drive meaningful change in keeping Singapore safe and secure!
The Commander Unplugged
Think you know everything about the Commander of Traffic Police? Watch SAC Tan tackle our rapid-fire questions and discover his lighter side!
