SINGAPORE – When police officers turned up at a Clementi condominium in November 2022 to investigate reports of a missing woman, they heard a faint knocking sound coming from inside her unit.

The Clementi Police Division officers forced the door open and found the 31-year-old woman trapped in a windowless bathroom.

She had been locked in for four days, with no means of contacting anyone, after her bathroom doorknob was dislodged.

In recognition of this rescue and other achievements in 2022, the Clementi Police Division was named the Best Land Division at the Police Day Parade on Saturday.

It was the 11th time the division received the award, making it the most awarded one in Singapore.

The award was presented by Deputy Prime Minister Lawrence Wong at the Home Team Academy, in front of some 650 officers and other parade participants who formed the contingent, and at least 2,000 audience members in the stands.

Division commander and Assistant Commissioner of Police (AC) Serene Chiu received the award on behalf of her division.

Recalling the incident, AC Chiu said the division’s officers had received reports from the woman’s relatives that she was missing, prompting them to investigate.

Noticing that she had not been seen in days and that delivery parcels were left strewn outside her apartment, the officers trusted their instinct and experience that the woman might have been in her unit but could not respond.

The faint rapping sounds confirmed their suspicions, and prompted the officers to gain access to the unit.

AC Chiu said: “The officers’ inquiring mind and attention to details helped save a life.”

In January 2022, officers from Clementi led a search for a low-IQ teenager who had been missing for two weeks and was eventually found in critical condition at a hotel in Lavender, said AC Chiu, who joined the division in August 2022.

The 19-year-old had been assaulted by a group of young people over nine days and was found with slash wounds, burn marks, fractures and a head injury.

According to court documents, the teen’s sister found an online post of him getting abused and alerted the police, who tracked him down.

The police were unable to provide more details on how the teen was found as the case is still with the courts.

Following a rise in shoplifting cases, the division also helped to raise awareness on retail safety and security among shop owners in Clementi, educating them on ways to deter crimes.

There were 3,244 cases of shop theft recorded in Singapore in 2022, a roughly 20 per cent spike from 2021, said AC Chiu. Most of the cases occurred at retail shops like supermarkets, minimarts and convenience stores.

Retailers were urged to look out for big groups of customers, and to organise their stores to ensure they had good visibility of the displays. They were also advised to lock expensive goods in showcases, or place them near the counter or other prominent spots, said AC Chiu.

Other award winners at the Police Day Parade include the Airport Police Division and Jurong Police Division, which were jointly awarded the Best NS Operationally Ready Unit.

The award recognises national service divisions for their management of NS men in fitness, operations and recall rates.

The parade drew to a close with a drive-past of 47 police vehicles, including the latest tactical strike vehicle, a heavily fortified vehicle that can shield police officers from bullets while they counter armed threats.

Mr Wong, who presented the awards as the parade’s guest of honour, said: “The work of a police officer is not easy. Every day, they overcome numerous challenges in order to prevent, deter and detect crime.

“I thank all police officers for their unwavering courage, dedication and professionalism.”