The Police are aware of an online post which alleged that inaccuracies were contained in the Police’s statement, “Clarifications on Online Post Accusing Police Officers of Bullying,” issued on 19 May 2021.
The Police stand by the clarifications and veracity of events stated within that statement.
The inclusion of live audio in the online post showing Police officers engaging an elderly woman does not change the fact that Police officers did not taunt or reprimand her. Officers were in fact engaging the domestic helper of the elderly woman, asking her to inform her employer that the elderly woman was seen not wearing a mask, and reminding the domestic helper to remind the elderly woman to wear a mask. The online post which carried an interview with the elderly woman also did not present the full context as the elderly woman has dementia. The officer did buy food for the elderly woman and the domestic helper can attest that there was a packet of food with the elderly woman when she arrived at the scene.
The Police have also spoken to a family member of the elderly woman this morning. She has confirmed that the elderly woman has dementia and may not remember the full account of the incident clearly. She expressed disappointment that someone had interviewed the elderly woman and posted it online without any attempt to understand the elderly woman’s condition from her family members. The Police have discussed with the family member, and decided to release relevant snippets of the Police’s body-worn camera (BWC) footage online, which is not our common practice. Police generally do not release such BWC footage as the information is confidential.
The BWC footage shows clearly that the Police officer was advising the domestic helper to remind the elderly woman to wear a mask, and was not taunting or reprimanding the elderly woman; and that the officer did buy a packet of food for the elderly woman.
To ensure the privacy of the elderly woman, her family and her domestic helper, Police will not be releasing any further footage.
Despite these allegations, our Police officers remain undeterred in their duty to continue providing assistance to the elderly woman whenever she requires it. In fact, just this morning, Police officers responded to another call about the elderly woman and rendered assistance to her again.
The Police would like to advise the public not to post or share unverified information online, and to urge members of the public to be responsible when posting or sharing information online. Police resources can be better used to deter and solve crimes, or to assist members of the public, rather than to address these malicious and baseless allegations. It is also very sad, and in fact reprehensible, that The Online Citizen Asia should exploit an elderly woman with dementia, to sow falsehoods to further its own agenda.
SINGAPORE POLICE FORCE
25 May 2021 @ 8:30 PM