Dear Officers and Cadets of NPCC

All through the 49 years since the inception of NPCC in 1959, NPCC has played an important role in Singapore’s nation-building by moulding our cadets to be the “Builders” of a safe and secure home.

With the recent developments in terrorism, we must continue to stay vigilant in enhancing the safety and security of Singapore. As our resources are finite and it is not possible for our security forces to be everywhere, the community has a critical role to play in the security of our nation. Just like in crime prevention, terrorism prevention is a shared responsibility. As NPCC cadets, you can play your part in guarding against terrorism by applying what you have learnt from the Home Front Security Course on counter-terrorism.

In 2006, NPCC collaborated with the Community Involvement Division of the Singapore Police Force and National Crime Prevention Council to launch the Community Safety and Security Programme as well as the Police Youth Ambassador Programme. Cadets who graduate from these programmes are trained to spread crime prevention messages to their peers and the general public. Being Police Youth Ambassadors, you are the “eyes and ears” of the Police in providing valuable information on crime prevention that will help keep our schools and neighbourhoods safe. Your initiative and alertness are key to a safe and secure home. I am confident that as NPCC cadets, and having benefited from the programmes, you are well poised to be the role models for your peers in your schools and the community. In fact, I am happy to note that just recently, an NPCC youth leader and two NPCC cadets from Deyi Secondary School were commended for their bravery and public spiritedness in apprehending a snatch theft suspect in January this year.

Moving forward, the NPCC will continue to enhance its revamped training programmes by focusing on the 5 core training areas of Law Enforcement, National Education, Leadership, Resilience and Personal Development. Character Development, Innovation and Enterprise are infused within each training area and cadets have ample opportunities to cultivate their creativity and nurture their innovation through the participation in these activities.

This year, NPCC will introduce the Survival Camp for Secondary Three cadets. This activity will provide them with a differentiated camping experience. Through the Survival Camp, cadets will acquire the basic outdoor survival skills and team building skills. Campers will also have a more fulfilling camping experience and enjoy greater ownership as they are given the opportunity to lead. Indeed, our cadets have much to look forward to as we enter another exciting phase when the Corps celebrates its 50th Anniversary next year.

The strong focus on our vision, complemented by the commitment, passion and esprit de corps of our cadets and officers has been the backbone of the Corps through the years. We have had a very successful 2007, made possible only by the collective efforts of our cadets, officers and NPCC HQ. We must also acknowledge our Principals for their unwavering support to the NPCC units in their schools. They play a big role in determining the progress and success of NPCC. Without them and the allocation of school resources to the teachers and cadets, the best programmes planned by NPCC HQ and the school units would not be able to achieve its desired outcomes. I thank each and every one of you for your long-term commitment and for sharing the Corps’ values and beliefs.

Finally, I would like to extend my best wishes to all officers and cadets. May the coming year be an exciting and fruitful one for NPCC.

Thank you.

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Mr Goh Liang Kwang
Deputy Commissioner of Police

DAC Loy Chye Meng
Deputy Chairman NPCC Council

School Principals

Distinguished Guests

Officers and Cadets

Ladies and Gentlemen

Good Evening

I am delighted to be here with you this evening for the 49th National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) Annual Parade.


Growth of NPCC over the years

NPCC has come a long way since its inception in 1959. It started out as a pilot project with only 30 cadets and 1 officer in Bartley Secondary School. It has since grown to be one of the largest youth organisations in Singapore with over 20,000 members.

Supported by the Singapore Police Force and the Ministry of Education, NPCC is offered as a co-curricular activity in the schools’ education programmes. The mission of the NPCC is to 'develop its Cadets into Caring and Responsible Citizens’ by providing a myriad of life skills training and outdoor activities for the wholesome development of cadets, youth leaders and officers. Through its programmes, the Corps hopes to realise its shared vision of “Moulding the Builders of a Safe and Secure Home”.


Theme of Parade - Our Community, Our Family, Our Friends

The theme of this year’s parade is “Our Community, Our Family, Our Friends.” It aptly describes the role which NPCC members play in the larger community and how it develops its cadets into caring and responsible citizens. NPCC has always been one of the active forerunners in promoting community related activities.

The NPCC - Police Youth Ambassador Programme (PYA) is a programme that is undertaken and completed by cadets during their secondary school years. Jointly administered by NPCC, MOE and the SPF, the PYA programme aims to develop our NPCC youths as Police Youth Ambassadors. Through the Community Safety and Security Programme and the Police Youth Ambassador Programme, the cadets acquire knowledge on crime prevention, safety and security. Upon acquiring the knowledge, a cadet is expected not only to practise the measures, but also to share these measures with their parents, schoolmates, friends and the community at large in the form of project work.

Through such initiatives, we encourage cadets to be innovative and enterprising and at the same time proactive in engaging the different segments of society through community policing. In the process, there is a strengthening of bonds between the neighbourhood police centres and the schools, teachers, and students. Our NPCC youths are also developed to be role models of community policing and effective Police Youth Ambassadors. Let me quote some recent examples of how NPCC cadets have shown themselves to be valuable Police Ambassadors and embodied this year’s theme “Our Community, Our Family, Our Friends”.

Montfort Secondary School unit took the initiative to collaborate with the Singapore Management University (SMU) and Singapore Central Community Development Council (CDC) by `adopting’ a block of flats in Sin Ming Avenue. The cadets not only helped to distribute daily necessities, but also acted as police youth ambassadors imparting crime prevention knowledge to the residents.

In January this year, two cadets and a cadet inspector of Deyi Secondary School were instrumental in the apprehension of a snatch thief along Ang Mo Kio Street 42. Their acts of courage and public-spiritedness have certainly brought pride to the school and NPCC. These acts exemplified NPCC’s mission and vision clearly and distinctly embraced the theme of this year’s Annual Parade.

The NPCC is a unique family; it comprises youths, adult volunteers, teacher officers and police officers. This family provides varied platforms for interactions between cadets of different social and economic backgrounds through the different NPCC training programmes. These meaningful activities have cemented the bond, camaraderie and understanding amongst all. The immediate families of our cadets and officers also deserve special mention for their continual support and commitment. Your presence today is a testimony of your support.


Annual Parade 2008

The NPCC Annual Parade is the key event in the NPCC calendar. On this day, all NPCC members come together to pledge their loyalty and support to the Nation and the Corps.

Today’s parade is also a very special occasion for 37 NPCC Units as they are the proud recipients of the Gold Award for the 2007 Unit Overall Proficiency Award. This year, NPCC has a record number of Gold Awardees. My heartiest congratulations to all award recipients. Your achievements have made your schools proud. Without the active involvement and support of the Principals, teacher officers, parents and volunteers, the success of NPCC as a uniformed group would not have been possible. I wish to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your commitment and dedication.

Finally, I wish to congratulate all officers and cadets involved in organising this year’s Annual Parade for a job well done. Your pride and effort in preparing for this occasion are apparent in the smart turnout and impeccable standard of parade. Keep up the good work! With your unfading support, I am sure that NPCC will continue to be one of the choice Co-Curricular Activities in Singapore.

Thank you.

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Mr Charles Chong
Member of Parliament for Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC and Chairman, NPCC Council

Mr James Tan
Commissioner of Civil Defence

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

It is indeed my privilege to be here this evening to inaugurate the 13th National Police Cadet Corps Council and also to present certificates of appointment to the incoming council members, as well as certificates of appreciation to the outgoing members.

The Council has played an important role in setting the directions for the two Uniformed Groups in schools: The National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC) since 1975 and the National Civil Defence Cadet Corps (NCDCC) since 2002.

The NPCC Council has also opened up various avenues for our youths to acquire relevant skills and knowledge and to display their sense of ruggedness and adventure through the indoor and outdoor activities organised by both NPCC and NCDCC.

The first NPCC Council represented by the Ministry of Education personnel and officers from the Singapore Police Force was inaugurated in 1975. The main objective for its formation was to be the policy-making body that would advance the development of the Corps. Through the Council’s efforts, NPCC has become the largest Uniformed Group in schools with 155 land and sea units in secondary schools and four open units in tertiary institutions.

The Council deserves commendation for increasing the number of NCDCC units from the initial 12 in 2002 to the present 32 units in the various secondary schools.

The 12th NPCC Council has been instrumental in charting the direction and development of NCDCC, and has succeeded in combining the strengths of the Ministry of Education, the Singapore Police Force and the Singapore Civil Defence Force to help shape the next generation of capable leaders with an unerring sense of civic duty and social responsibility.

It is my honour to welcome the newly appointed members of the 13th NPCC Council who have taken up the challenge of shouldering this considerable responsibility. This honour is surpassed only by the opportunity given to pay homage to the outgoing Council members, whose dedication and invaluable contributions are deeply appreciated.

It is therefore my pleasure to thank all outgoing members of the 12th NPCC Council. You have all contributed significantly to the development of the NPCC and NCDCC.

I would also like to commend the tenacity and commitment of members from the 12th NPCC Council who are continuing their tenure.

Allow me now to congratulate all the members of the 13th NPCC Council at this juncture. Your commitment in leading NPCC and NCDCC will be instrumental in shaping the lives of many of our youths.

I wish NPCC and NCDCC many successes as you move from strength to strength in the nurturing of our future leaders. I am sure that under your capable leadership, our youths will become responsible and contributing members of our nation.

Once more, let me welcome you to the 13th NPCC Council and I wish you all the best in all your endeavours with the 13th NPCC Council.

Thank you.

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Mr Goh Liang Kwang
Dy Commissioner of Police

Mr Tan Puay Kern
Deputy Chairman
NPCC Council

Members of the NPCC Council

Distinguished Guests,

Officers, Ladies and Gentleman


It gives me great pleasure to join you in celebrating the NPCC Officers’ Day. Tonight, we will be honouring our NPCC officers and Cadet Inspectors for their outstanding contributions to the National Police Cadet Corps (NPCC). Their dedication and commitment to the development of our cadets and youths through wholesome and rigorous activities is truly commendable.


DEVELOPMENT OF NPCC

I am pleased to note that the development of NPCC since its inception in 1959 with a modest strength of only 30 cadets has been very significant. Close to 216,000 cadets have gone through the NPCC experience and today, NPCC is the largest uniformed group in schools with a membership of close to 20,000, inclusive of officers, youth leaders and cadets.

There have also been significant developments in the NPCC in the last few years. For instance, a revamp of the NPCC training structure and curriculum was done in 2005. This brought about a deliberate reduction of core training hours from 80 hours to 60 hours per year. It also addresses the issue of shorter CCA hours on weekdays under the backdrop of the 5 Day work week. With the new training structure, the NPCC Units now have a learning path known as the “NPCC 6As Learning Path” which provides progressive development of the members from a cadet level to that of an officer.

Teacher officers and cadets can now look forward to a Facilitator Guide and Cadet Handbook which would complement the new training framework in 2008.


DEVELOPING GLOBAL AWARENESS

Amidst the review of internal processes, NPCC has also been active in providing opportunities for its cadets, youth leaders and officers to interact with friends from overseas through regular exchange programmes with foreign police-youth establishments.

Since 2004, the NPCC had established ties with the Junior Police Call of the Hong Kong Police Force, Police Cadet Corps of the Royal Malaysia Police and Police Rangers Units of the Western Australia Police. A total of about 375 cadets and youth leaders have benefited from these police-youth related overseas education visits and exchange programmes. In addition, NPCC Units have also organised overseas trips in the form of education tours, community involvement projects and adventure quests. 2006 and 1st half of 2007 saw over 80 overseas trips organised by the NPCC Units for its cadets. Through such programmes, we hope that our cadets will develop a global perspective and be well prepared for the future.


KEY PLAYERS

NPCC is a youth organisation that depends heavily on its teacher officers and volunteers to run its programme. I am pleased to know that, following the review of its training structure, NPCC will continue its effort in addressing the issue of human resource management by formalising the Route of Advancement for NPCC members. Cadets, officers and volunteers who hold strong passion for the NPCC movement can look forward to higher appointments such as Assistant Commandants. People who were non NPCC cadets but possess specialised skills which are relevant to the Corp can also look forward to be appointed as Instructors in the non-uniform scheme. Such flexible human resource management is a good move to attract talents into the Corps.

All these developments and programmes would not have been possible without the passion and commitment of NPCC officers, volunteers and youth leaders - the key players in the NPCC movement.

Tonight, we applaud your contributions. 32 officers will be promoted to the rank of Assistant Superintendent of NPCC. 107 officers will be presented with the service medals and another 139 awarded the Commissioner of Police commendation and testimonial certificates. Congratulations on receiving the recognition you truly deserve.

I would also like to specially mention a recently retired education officer tonight. DSP (NPCC) Ang Siang Ka, Assistant Commandant Area 11 has contributed a total of 34 years of service to the Corps. Tonight, we thank him for his relentless service and wish him a happy retirement.


CONCLUSION

Moving on, NPCC must continue to explore new programmes along with the changes in the education landscape and homefront security concerns. NPCC must continue to attract more pupils to join the NPCC and to develop them into caring, resilient, responsible, compassionate and proactive leaders for the nation. I am confident that with your continuous support and commitment, NPCC will continue to soar to greater heights.

Thank you.

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