Sikhs from Punjab, India, were recruited to boost the strength of the police force. By August 1881, there were about 100 Sikh policemen in Singapore – Photo: Courtesy of the National Museum of Singapore, National Heritage Board.
By Ang Seow Leng | Singapore |
The first two inspectors and 21 trained European constables arrived in Singapore on 25 March 1881, and the following day, an assistant superintendent and 54 Sikhs arrived from Punjab, India. More Sikhs continued to arrive and by August 1881, there were 100 Sikh policemen in Singapore.
Unfortunately, the European contingent did not adjust well to local conditions and was eventually disbanded in 1906. As a result, subsequent Europeans were only recruited as inspectors or gazetted officers. The Sikh contingent, however, gained a good reputation in the police force and became the favoured choice for other types of policing. Some were hired by the Tanjong Pagar Dock Company as “dock police”, while others guarded the Straits Trading Company Limited’s tin smelting works, Shell Company’s oil storage tanks at Pulau Samboe and the granite quarries at Bukit Timah Hill.
However, the situation changed dramatically after the Japanese Occupation. The Sikh contingent was disbanded due to the high attrition rate. Many Sikhs left the police force when they became demoralised due to divided loyalties experienced during the Japanese Occupation. In addition, with India and Pakistan gaining independence, recruitment opportunities became scarce.
Extracted from ‘Men in Blue: A History of the Singapore Police Force’ (BiblioAsia, 1 Oct 2015). Click here for the full story.
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