Deeper sense of purpose and responsibility in looking out for others, building a safer community for everyone.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been intrigued by crime shows, which might explain why my childhood aspiration was to be a police officer. Somehow, life has led me on a different path.

I pursued a diploma in Radiography as I saw it as a form of photography. I was amazed by how state-of-the-art technology could allow us to see parts of the body that were invisible to the naked eye.

In 2016, I happened to chance upon a recruitment poster on Volunteer Special Constabulary (VSC) Scheme. I wasn’t aware that the Singapore Police Force was looking for volunteers and that VSC officers have almost the same roles as regular police officers – they could carry firearms, were entrusted to perform the same policing functions and uphold the law. I was really excited that the VSC scheme offered me a chance to fulfil my childhood dream during my free time!

I signed up to be a VSC Officer and had to undergo a rigorous 6-month training (twice a week after work). It has been an interesting and fulfilling 4 years since I joined the ranks as a VSC officer. I spend most of my free time performing patrol duties with the regular police officers to keep the neighbourhood safe. I remember my first 999 call when I was dispatched to attend to a dispute case on my first VSC duty. My heart was pumping extremely fast and I had mixed feelings. Many questions popped up in my mind on our way to the location – what am I going to do when I arrive? What if the subject turned violent? Will I be hurt? In the end, all my worries proved to be inconsequential. My colleague guided me throughout and we managed to resolve the incident within 15 minutes. You can imagine the sense of relief I had when we got back to the police car.

My volunteering experience with SPF has certainly given me a lot of exposure and broadened my perspective in many ways. I get to meet and interact with people from different walks of life. Not only did it improve my interpersonal skills, it also made realised how fortunate I am. Because of this, I became more appreciative of what I have – a stable job, supportive colleagues, family and friends.

As a radiographer, I have limited encounters with patients. But when I do interact with them, I am able to leverage on my experience as a VSC officer to build rapport with patients and reduce their anxiety.

I find it immensely rewarding to be a Radiographer as we perform a critical role to help doctors make a more accurate diagnosis to improve the lives of patients. Although my job as a Radiographer and VSC officer may seem very different on the surface, each role has nurtured me to become a person with a deeper sense of purpose and responsibility in looking out for others, building a safer community for everyone.