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The late Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police (AC) (Retired) Edwin Oliver Thompson served in the Singapore Police Force (SPF) for 34 years, beginning as a Probationary Inspector in 1952. His career spanned a transformative period in Singapore’s history, from the final years of colonial rule to self-governance and independence, and saw him serve in a wide range of operational, training and leadership appointments across and beyond the Force.

The Road to Policing

Acting AC (Ret) Thompson’s early years were marked by hardship. His father passed away when he was young, and his childhood was disrupted by the Japanese Occupation. After the war, he returned to school and later attended the Teachers’ Training College to pursue a career in education.

While teaching at a school in Tanjong Rhu, he was travelling home by bus when he spotted a fellow Eurasian Police officer, Mr Dudley de Cruz. Dressed smartly in uniform, with a revolver in its holster and a swagger stick tucked under his arm, the officer left a lasting impression on the young student teacher. Recalling the encounter, Acting AC (Ret) Thompson said, “He looked super and also, very authoritative. You don't fool around with somebody with a revolver.”

The encounter inspired him to apply to join the SPF. “I applied. I went for interview and I was selected,” he shared. Determined to pursue a career in policing, he resigned from Teachers’ Training College, much to the disappointment of his lecturers.

On 2 January 1952, he reported to the Police Training School as a Cadet Inspector and graduated as a Probationary Inspector after eight months of training.

Marksman Par Excellence

Following his graduation, Acting AC (Ret) Thompson received his first posting to the Security Branch (now the Security Command), a unit responsible for protecting Singapore’s leaders and visiting foreign dignitaries during a pivotal period in the nation's development.

The appointment was no coincidence. During training, he had excelled in firearms instruction, becoming proficient with revolvers, Sterling submachine guns and rifles. “Marksman. With the guns that were given to us for training,” he recalled with pride.

His proficiency with small arms caught the attention of Security Branch officers. “The Officer-in-charge of the Security Branch… came to the Police Training School and told the Commandant… that he was looking for people who are good at small arms. I was a marksman,” he recalled.

His first assignment was to help protect then-Governor of Singapore, Sir John Nicoll – the first of many assignments that would place him at the centre of many significant state occasions. He later served as an escort to distinguished visitors including United States Vice-President Richard Nixon, Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia and Indian Prime Minister Morarji Desai.

Acting AC (Ret) Thompson was subsequently appointed Honorary Aide-de-Camp to President Yusof bin Ishak and later President Benjamin Sheares. Through these appointments, he witnessed Singapore’s transition from colonial rule to self-governance and independence while serving on the front line of security and state ceremonial duties.

Integrity Under Pressure

By 1970, Acting AC (Ret) Thompson had accumulated extensive experience across the Force, having served in operational and training appointments, including postings at Joo Chiat Police Station, the Prosecution Branch, the Reserve Unit and Queenstown Police Station. He had also returned several times to the Police Training School (later renamed the Police Academy), where he trained recruits and detectives and eventually served as its Adjutant. That year, he was posted to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) as Acting Superintendent of the Administration and Specialist Division.

The appointment proved to be one of the most challenging of his career. Shortly after arriving at CID, he found his personal safety at risk. “One day in my office, I had a call from the director of the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau... a straightforward man, no fooling around with him. He told me to see him personally. He warned me to be careful, to take a different route back, and not to get too involved in the office,” he shared.

The warning stemmed from corruption investigations involving officers in CID’s Secret Societies Branch. Someone had tampered with the electrical power switch in his office, which could have electrocuted him. Fortunately, he spotted the exposed wires in time. Acting AC (Ret) Thompson believed his reputation for integrity had made him a target. “They knew I was ‘straight’ and not inside the group, and wanted to get rid of me,” he recalled. “I think it was an inside job.”

Despite these challenges, he remained steadfast in carrying out his duties. In 1974, Acting AC (Ret) Thompson was seconded to the Prisons Department as Deputy Director, becoming the first Police officer to hold such an appointment.

By the time Acting AC (Ret) Thompson retired in 1986, he had completed 34 years of public service across a wide range of responsibilities. When asked what advice he would offer young officers, his answer was unequivocal: “The major challenge is to keep abreast with the changing situations ... you have to keep your ears to the ground and your fingers on the ball.” He stressed the importance of remaining adaptable in a rapidly evolving world, adding, “You have to adapt, make changes ... to the situations that exist around you.”

Acting AC (Ret) Thompson also believed that officers should look beyond Singapore’s shores. “We are now globalised,” he observed. “What affects a country somewhere outside Singapore might affect Singapore as well ... We cannot cut ourselves off from what exists outside Singapore. Knowledge is of importance to us."

Oral History Interview Series

Our officers have incredibly interesting careers, and for the past decade, the Heritage and Social Responsibility Branch of the SPF’s Public Affairs Department has been meeting retired officers of all ranks to hear their stories. The Oral History Interview Series seeks to inspire officers in their service and carry on the legacy of those who have come before them.