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On 3 June 2026, hundreds of officers will march in formation into the Home Team Academy’s Unity Square for the Police Day Parade – each synchronised movement a reflection of discipline, dedication and service to the nation.
Leading them is Deputy Assistant Commissioner of Police (DAC) Shaun Lim, 4 Deputy Director (Security & Readiness) at the Operations Department. And if you’d asked him if he ever expected to be in this position, you might be surprised by his answer.
In Pursuit of Purpose
When DAC Lim was in his junior college days, he woke up one morning feeling tired, sleep-deprived, and slightly grumpy at needing to wake up this early.
“This is going to be every morning for the next few decades of my life,” he remembered thinking to himself. “Waking up early, going to work – what kind of work will I find worth getting out of bed for every day?”
That question stayed with him and eventually led him towards a career as a Police officer.
“Most people meet Police officers only during the difficult or more significant moments in their lives,” DAC Lim shared. “How we engage with people and try to help them in such moments would make a meaningful difference to them. That sounded like something worth waking up for every day.”
Since joining the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in 2012, DAC Lim has dedicated his life to that purpose. He has taken on a range of diverse roles – from frontline duties as a Ground Response Force (GRF) officer and Investigation Officer (IO), to staff postings at the Ministry of Home Affairs and the SPF, and to command roles in Bedok and Central Police Divisions. DAC Lim has also worked with agencies such as Ministry of Manpower and Ministry of Health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and completed a stint with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 2021.
As an SPF Scholarship recipient, DAC Lim received an early lesson in empathy during his university days when he got the chance to take a course inside an American prison, and study alongside the inmates there for a semester. Listening to their stories taught him that behind every person who commits a crime, is a human being. It also showed him every action and choice carries real consequences and costs – not just fore the victim and offender, but also for their families. These interactions strengthen his sense of purpose as an officer.
DAC Lim’s many postings also show him the impact of effective policymaking in supporting operations at different levels of the Government. “It helped me to see and experience the difficulties our officers face, and the hard work they put in every day,” said DAC Lim. “This spurs me to make decisions and policies that support the ground as best as I can, in my current role as a Deputy Director.”
In Step with Tradition
DAC Lim first developed an appreciation for parades and drills during his time in the Boys’ Brigade as a young student. Decades on, being appointed as this year’s Parade Commander is an honour that carries special meaning for him.
“A parade is a showcase of discipline, coordination, and pride – it's not easy to pull off, but the officers have put their hearts into this, and I know we can do it. As Parade Commander, I hope that I’ll be able to do justice to the hard work put in by the hundreds of officers participating in the Parade, and the thousands of officers we represent across the SPF,” DAC Lim said.
According to DAC Lim, leading the Police Day Parade brought back many memories of his early years in the SPF. He recalled training parades and graduation ceremonies, as well as serving as the bearer of the state flag during the Parade segment of the inaugural Home Team Show and Festival in 2017. In 2021, he was also the reserve Commander of the Police Guard of Honour Contingent at the National Day Parade.
As Police Day approaches, DAC Lim has a message for officers taking part: “This parade is about each one of you – the officers on your left and right – and all of our colleagues whom we represent, past and present. Thank you for the tremendous effort, time and work put into training so hard. As we march onto the Unity Square on 3 June, I know we'll do each other proud.”
Recalling how he came to find his vocation as a Police officer, DAC Lim knew he was where he was meant to be. “As officers, we take pride in our work because it’s a meaningful vocation,” he said. “To our community, our fellow Singaporeans, thank you for supporting us and working with us to keep Singapore safe.”
