Security on the Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)

The overall security concerns of the Mass Rapid Transit system in Singapore related to crime and terrorism are not high on the agenda of the system's planners since its inception . For instance, there was no physical police presence in the rail system, and nor were private security guards deployed. CCTV systems were not widely used, and there were no passenger service booths on the platform level, the only manned booth being the one at the station control room. These measures were not necessary, however, as incidents of crime rarely occurred on the rail system.

Enforcement

In the wake of heightened security concerns as a result of the September 11, 2001 attacks, and also particularly the 11 March 2004 Madrid attacks in which the commuter rail system was targeted, the Singapore government initiated several measures aimed at securing the rail system from a similar attack. In the months immediately after the Madrid attacks, the two rail operators, SMRT Corporation and SBS Transit, started employing private unarmed guards who patrol the station platforms, and are empowered to check the belongings of commuters. The Singapore Police Force announced that regular police officers may commence patrolling duties within stations and trains, although this was not visibly apparent except in the immediate period after announcements were made.

In reaction to a second major terrorist attack on a public transport system in the 7 July 2005 London bombings, the police deployed armed Police......
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