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It was the early 2000s. A young Police officer was patrolling a dimly lit carpark in Bedok Central when he spotted a suspicious man meddling with car locks.
The man made a run for it but couldn’t get away from the young officer and his team. Upon apprehending the suspect, then-Staff Sergeant (SSgt) Chua Kung Young and his team recovered cash cards and coins stolen from vehicles.
The incident left a deep impression on SSgt Chua because a member of the public had seen the suspect as well but before she could call “999,” the officers had already arrested him.
Their swift response made SSgt Chua proud that they made a difference that day with their “quick thinking and agile foot chase.”
This early experience shaped his passion for fighting crime. After nearly three decades with the Singapore Police Force (SPF), Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Chua, 48, is currently the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the Emergency Response Team (ERT) at Jurong Police Division.
The ERT is a specialised unit that responds to armed attacks and terror threats. Taking on a leadership role, DSP Chua manages the scheduling of shifts, leading his team during missions, helping them to do their very best and taking care of their welfare.
Over the years, he has served across different units such as the Police Security Command and Protective Security Command (ProCom), gaining experiences both on the ground and as a leader that have left a lasting impact on him. “There are things to learn from every unit that I’ve been to,” he said.
“Like a Teacher”
Learning to lead was a milestone in his career. While at ProCom, he managed over 100 officers at once. Supervising Full-time Police National Service (PNSF) officers, in particular, was challenging yet meaningful.
DSP Chua felt “like a teacher” at times. For those who faced issues in their personal lives, he’d encourage them to complete their stint well and check on their wellbeing.
“Sometimes, we’d visit their homes on welfare checks with their parents,” he said, “discussing how to work together to help the young men through their period of national service.”
He recalled how one PNSF officer struggled to complete his duties. Together with fellow supervisors, DSP Chua helped him understand the purpose behind their work. They shared with him how patrolling the streets wasn’t just about protecting the general public but also his family members.
“He slowly came to see the immense value in our work and we were able to inculcate discipline into his life,” DSP Chua shared. “Subsequently, he decided to further his studies after completing his NS.”
DSP Chua feels “fulfilled” when former PNSF officers “grow to become better men” and still contact him even when they’ve embarked on their professional careers.
To Walk the Talk
Regardless of who he supervises, there’s one value that DSP Chua holds above all others – integrity. He believes in commanding respect through leading by example.
“Leaders need to be able to walk the talk,” he stressed. “We don’t expect our guys to do things that we can’t even do ourselves.”
This is especially important given the high-tempo of an ERT officer’s work. According to DSP Chua, officers must have the courage to face danger head on and protect the public from harm: “Every second counts, so if you have doubts about your ability to handle challenging situations, it can affect the outcome of the mission.”
Hard decisions and quick thinking are essential qualities of an ERT officer. When responding to incidents, DSP Chua said that officers need to make split-second decisions that could mean the difference between life and death.
The “biggest enemy” that hinders officers from doing their job well, he added, is complacency.
“You must always be on your toes and stay alert,” he advised.
“Even when you think things are clear-cut, you must always have a curious mindset, to find out more and make sure that what action you take is correct.”
True in Blue
Discipline is ingrained into DSP Chua’s daily life. For the past 27 years, he has been waking up at 6am, to get ready for work and send his children to school.
That was what drew him to policing in the first place. Back in secondary school, he was in the National Cadet Corps and enjoyed its disciplined nature, with everyone working together towards a common mission.
That sense of purpose has guided his long journey in the SPF. “I love my job because I feel that whatever I do directly translates into helping the public,” he explained. “At the end of the day, I just want everyone to remember me as a dedicated officer doing his job.”
To find out more about Direct-Entry Inspector (DEI)/ Direct-Entry Sergeant (DES) positions, click the links below:
DEI: go.gov.sg/spf-inspector
DES: go.gov.sg/spf-sergeant
