When a life hung in the balance at an overhead bridge, two SPF officers took extraordinary action to save a person in distress.
By: Domnic Dass
The Police Operations Command Centre (POCC) dispatch cut through the morning quiet on 23 December 2024 at around 10am: multiple “999” calls had been received about a woman sitting on the side of an overhead bridge in Hougang.
Ground Response Force officers (GRF) Sergeant (Sgt) Linus Lim and Special Constable Corporal Muhammad Tajuddeen Bin Mohamed Taufit from Hougang Neighbourhood Police Centre (NPC) were already on the move. Through the morning rush, a second team from Serangoon NPC volunteered to assist. “Upon hearing about the person in distress, I immediately offered our resource,” Sgt Loh Guo Sheng recalls.
Neither team knew what lay ahead as they raced towards the scene, but they understood one thing – every second could mean the difference between life and death.
The First Critical Minutes
Sgt Lim arrived first, his eyes widening at the sight before him. A young woman was leaning forward on the overhead bridge, her gaze fixed on the road below. Three years of frontline experience told him he had seconds, not minutes, to make first contact.
As he ran up the steps, he noticed a large advertisement banner blocking his way to the woman. He called out to her, but she remained silent and continued to gaze downward – a response that sent a chill down his spine.
“Each time she moved closer to the edge, my heart sank,” Sgt Lim recalls. While waiting for backup resources to arrive, he kept his voice steady, focused on keeping her engaged.
When Experience Meets the Unexpected
Shortly after, Hougang NPC’s Team Leader (TL) Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Benjamin Cheah arrived at the scene. With 15 years of GRF experience, what he saw made his pulse quicken – this wasn’t just another case of a person in distress. The advertisement board, meant for commuters’ eyes, had become a barrier between rescuers and a person in need of assistance.
“In all my years handling similar cases, I’d never encountered anything like this,” ASP Cheah reflects.
With his partner, Sgt Muhammad Nuh Irfan Bin Hairuddin – just 11 months into service – he positioned himself opposite Sgt Lim, who was still engaging with the woman.
ASP Cheah took over command and continued to engage the woman. Despite ASP Cheah’s attempts to establish contact, the woman remained unresponsive. Each passing moment added to the urgency of the moment.
Serangoon NPC Officers Arrive
Below the bridge, Serangoon NPC officers Sgt Loh and his partner, Sgt Shaiful Izzat Bin Ishak, arrived to assist their colleagues, taking control of the situation on the ground and diverting traffic.
“My primary focus was on traffic control,” recalls Sgt Loh as he cleared the way for emergency vehicle to access while preventing onlookers from coming closer. Meanwhile, Sgt Shaiful kept the POCC informed of every development.
More help arrived as Serangoon NPC’s Senior Staff Sergeant (SSSgt) Derrick Lam and Sgt Muhammad Saifuddin Bin Hamdam sprinted up the steps of the bridge. Under ASP Cheah’s guidance, they remained close by to provide support.
A Detail, then a Plan
Drawing from seven years of GRF experience, Sgt Saifuddin noticed a crucial detail while ASP Cheah continued speaking – one that could affect the rescue’s outcome. “I noticed that the railing gaps were rather big,” Sgt Saifuddin recalls, dropping to his knees. He could thread his arms through the metal bars – a potential lifeline – but the advertisement banner trapped him awkwardly, leaving only a narrow gap through which to watch the woman’s movements.
“I signalled to ASP Cheah to keep talking to the woman,” he recalls. “She was almost within my grasp.”
Around him, officers moved like shadows, taking positions for their chance at a rescue.
When the woman shifted back slightly, instincts fired. Through the metal bars, SSSgt Lam and Sgt Saifuddin each managed to grasp one of her wrists. But even with their combined grip through the railing, they knew they couldn't hold against her struggling weight forever. Sgt Saifuddin's voice cut through the air: "Now, now!"
ASP Cheah immediately swung onto the exposed ledge. Behind him, Sgt Irfan followed. “There was no hesitation or fear – I was focused on the woman and my TL’s safety. It was now or never,” he recalls.
Racing along the ledge, ASP Cheah lunged forward, seizing the woman in an iron grip. But their position remained perilous – almost five metres above ground, on a concrete strip only slightly wider than their boots.
As SSSgt Lam and Sgt Saifuddin held on to the woman through the railing, ASP Cheah and Sgt Irfan were balanced precariously. Sgt Irfan’s grip never dithered from the railing and ASP Cheah’s belt – three lives connected by courage and determination.
Combined Strength
The woman struggled against the officers, with only Sgt Irfan’s grip on ASP Cheah’s belt and the railing acting as their lifeline. Through the railing gaps, SSSgt Lam and Sgt Saifuddin held on with straining muscles while Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) officers who’d arrived worked urgently to breach the advertisement board.
“I gave the SCDF officers instructions to cut a hole in the banner to pull the woman through,” ASP Cheah recalls.
An opening was quickly made and, together, they lifted her to safety.
A Moment to Reflect
While ASP Cheah and Sgt Irfan received the Commissioner of Police’s High Commendation Award for their exceptional bravery, the rescue highlighted something just as important – the strength of teamwork.
From Sgt Lim’s crucial first engagement and Sgt Saifuddin’s resolute grip through the railing to the ground team’s swift traffic management and SCDF’s vital assistance – each officer played an essential role in averting tragedy.
“Looking back at that morning, what stands out isn't just what we accomplished, but how we did it,” reflects ASP Cheah. “Each officer knew their role and executed it perfectly – from first response to final rescue. The plan worked because everyone believed in it and in each other. That's what real teamwork looks like. When lives are at stake, it's this absolute trust in your team that makes the impossible possible.”
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