More volunteering to be part of Citizens on Patrol initiative

More residents in Bukit Panjang constituency are volunteering to be part of the Citizens on Patrol (COP) programme.

The COP now has 150 volunteers and it hopes to attract more people.

The programme started in 1999 in a bid to increase community vigilance and enhance safety in the neighbourhoods. From last September, the initiative was enhanced.

Nine more patrol routes have also been added, following a programme revamp which began last September.

COP volunteers now also attend workshops on how to conduct their patrols safely. For now, they take turns to patrol the constituency twice a month.

Lim Ai Kheng, a COP volunteer, said: "After the patrolling, the crime rate dropped tremendously. Especially those hanging around, they have arguments and fight."

Besides patrolling on foot, the volunteers now also submit reports of their patrols to their COP chief for further action.

ORIGINAL SOURCE
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