Sgt Marc Chang of the SPF Band shares how he traded his trumpet for ballot box escort duties.
By: Domnic Dass
Training Command (TRACOM) played a vital role in recent weeks during the General Election 2025 (GE2025), with more than 1,300 personnel supporting a range of Police operations. This included regular officers from various units, Full-time Police National Service officers, Police National Service officers, and specialised units like the Singapore Police Force (SPF) Band.
For Band officers like Sergeant (Sgt) Marc Chang, this year has been marked by both ceremonial performances and operational duties, including supporting GE2025 operations.
From Rehearsal Room to Nomination Centre
While music occupies much of his regular duties, GE2025 saw Sgt Chang taking on a different kind of responsibility. “Being part of the SPF Band is special because we’re not just musicians – we're fully trained Police officers first,” he explained. “I’d also supported GE2020. That experience helped me understand the importance of our role in safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.”
This time, Sgt Chang and his fellow officers got their first taste of election duties on Nomination Day, 23 April 2025. Alongside other SPF Band members and TRACOM officers, Sgt Chang was deployed to support Clementi Police Division at Methodist Girls’ School (MGS), one of the nine designated Nomination Centres.
Onsite, officers were on duty as candidates filed their nomination papers. “The atmosphere was charged as candidates and their supporters gathered,” recalled Sgt Chang.
The Final Push: Polling Day
GE2025 operations peaked with Sgt Chang and his fellow officers reporting to the Home Team Academy (HTA) at night on Cooling-off Day, 2 May 2025. The mood was light as the officers looked forward to their upcoming duties.
The pre-deployment briefing covered critical aspects of their Polling Day mission, such as security protocols, contingency plans, and coordinating procedures with other agencies. After the briefing, the officers lined up to draw operational equipment such as their portable radio sets. The pre-deployment briefing demonstrated the meticulous planning behind election security operations.
By the early morning of Polling Day, 3 May 2025, Sgt Chang and his partner were conducting final radio checks and equipment inspections before proceeding to draw their firearms.
After this, the officers boarded their designated buses in a systematic manner, ready to commence their escort duties.
Securing and Escorting Ballot Boxes
The officers’ most crucial responsibility was to escort election officials and ballot boxes. This duty began with teams of officers keeping a watchful eye on empty ballot boxes as these were transported to Polling Stations across Singapore. “Each movement is coordinated; each handover is carefully documented,” explained Sgt Chang. “It’s similar to how we prepare for our Band performances – attention to detail is crucial, but it’s about maintaining the integrity of the electoral process.”
After the counting process concluded at the Counting Centres and election results were declared, TRACOM officers executed their final mission of the deployment. This involved ensuring the secure transport of sealed ballot boxes from the Counting Centres to the Supreme Court, where the marked ballot papers are safe kept for a mandated period.
With their crucial task completed, Sgt Chang and his fellow officers boarded their buses for the journey back to HTA, bringing their election deployment to a close. Despite the fatigue that came with reporting for duty the day before, there was a collective sense of purpose among the officers. Band members, trainers and staff officers alike understood their role in safeguarding the integrity of GE2025.
For Sgt Chang, election duties demonstrated the multifaceted nature of Police work. “In the Band, we connect with the public and build trust through our music,” he reflected. “But whether we’re performing at National Day or securing ballot boxes during GE2025, it’s all part of serving Singapore.”
As the SPF Band marks its centennial year, officers like Sgt Chang embody its evolution – from a ceremonial unit to a fully operational Police unit that maintains both musical excellence and operational readiness. “Being in the Band during its 100th anniversary reminds me that while times change, our core mission of serving Singapore remains constant,” he added. “I’m proud to be part of this legacy, as both a musician and a Police officer.”
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