A decade in the Force – SSSgt Sabrina shares how emotional intelligence, empathy and tact have been crucial to her policing career!
By: Al Cheng
Senior Staff Sergeant (SSSgt) Nur Sabrina Tan joined the Singapore Police Force (SPF) in 2015, driven by two impulses that could not be more different.
The first was to fulfil her mother’s lifelong dream of becoming a Police officer. The second was deeply rooted in personal loss, when her sister passed on in 2013 and their family was attended to by a Police officer.
“During such vulnerable moments, what an officer says and does is very important,” she recalls. “This is a heavy responsibility and I felt driven to make a positive impact on people’s lives, by approaching them with empathy and tact.”
Policing with Purpose
SSSgt Sabrina’s 10-year journey in the SPF has been diverse and purposeful. Starting with frontline policing duties, she served as a Ground Response Force and Crime Strike Force officer at Bishan Neighbourhood Police Centre. She then moved to investigative work at Tanglin Police Division, joining the General Investigation Team in 2021 before becoming a Senior Investigation Officer (SIO) with the Commercial Crime Team in 2023.
Her day-to-day responsibilities include interviewing victims, witnesses and suspects, analysing financial evidence and preparing investigation reports. She also works closely with other units such as the Commercial Affairs Department to solve more complex cases.
“Investigating financial crimes demands intellectual rigour and sharp analytical skills,” SSSgt Sabrina shares. “This is because we deal with multiple parties, large volumes of data and technical documents that need to be analysed carefully.”
Although the work is challenging, she finds being an SIO incredibly rewarding: “Each time we solve a case and deliver justice on behalf of victims, it reinforces why I do this job!”
Tactical Readiness
Beyond her core duties, SSSgt Sabrina has taken on a number of secondary appointments as a Police officer. These include roles in the Special Women Task Team (SWTT), the United Nations Peacekeeping Force and Tanglin Police Division’s Women’s Committee. She’s also the team manager for the Police Sports Association women’s floorball team.
One of SSSgt Sabrina’s most memorable duties is her involvement in the SWTT, an all-women unit under the Special Operations Command that responds to public order incidents. “We were trained to manage passive protestors and vulnerable persons comprising the elderly, women and children,” she shares. “I was inspired to join the SWTT due to its unique mission of bringing a compassionate approach to public order incidents.”
As an SWTT trainer, SSSgt Sabrina provides specialised training in passive resistance techniques and how to manage various operational scenarios. She especially enjoys conducting selection and recertification courses. “It’s encouraging to see officers volunteering to take on more assignments, in addition to their regular duties,” she reflects. “The will our officers show is admirable!”
In her free time, SSSgt Sabrina enjoys activities such as hiking, floorball and learning new languages (she’s into Thai at the moment). “Having a life outside of work keeps me grounded and gives me new perspectives,” she says.
Be the Difference
Looking back on her policing journey, SSSgt Sabrina shares that effective policing requires a range of attributes. “As officers, we often deal with people when they’re at their most vulnerable,” she says. “That’s why we need to have emotional intelligence, empathy and tact to manage such sensitive situations and build public trust.”
As for those who aspire to join the SPF, SSSgt Sabrina has these words of advice: “Don’t be afraid to bring your unique strengths and perspectives to the job. Being a Police officer goes beyond enforcing the law – it's about making a positive impact in our community.”
Kickstart your SPF journey today and step up to a career that goes beyond! Visit our website to find out more.
Explore Our Content
Editor's Pick
