By David Boey
The Straits Times (Singapore)
Copyright 2007 Singapore Press Holdings Limited
All Rights Reserved
SINGAPORE — Cutting Edge security devices are an absolute necessity - but the key to keeping a country safe is ensuring it provides top-class training to its security officers, Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar said yesterday.
'No single scanner in the world, however good, can detect everything,' he said yesterday at the opening of the largest homeland security conference in the Asia-Pacific, Global Security Asia Exhibition and Conference 2007.
'An alert and well-trained officer who knows the strengths and limits of his machine should also be observing the person screened even as he mans the scanner.'
Professor Jayakumar, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Law, mentioned Singapore's investments in training facilities, such as the $266 million Home Team Academy at Choa Chu Kang Road.
'The frontline officer is the first and most important element in hardening targets and preventing attacks,' the minister noted. 'If he or she gets it right and responds effectively, incidents will be averted or at least have their impact reduced.'
His stress on training was supported by terrorism watcher Rohan Gunaratna, who spoke at the event. 'Without highly motivated and highly trained frontline officers, you can't fight terrorism,' said Dr Gunaratna, of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies.
Prof Jayakumar, however, also gave delegates at the event - being held at the Singapore Expo - an example of how technology can help security forces.
He cited the Harbour Craft Transponder System, which is installed on some 2,800 vessels in Singapore.
The tracking system beams information to port authorities using the mobile phone network.
The three-day Global Security Asia Exhibition and Conference is open only to homeland security trade or defence and security personnel from Singapore and overseas.
More than 5,000 trade visitors are expected to throng its halls to see security equipment ranging from airport security scanners to handguns.
