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ICA's First Response Team quick to deal with emergencies, suspects at checkpoints

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority's First Response Team officers are trained to deal with terror threats. The Straits Times joined one team last Friday (May 3) during a hostage drill.

Sergeant Salehudin Samsudin (left) has to be alert at all times. Recently, he spotted a suspicious-looking man who turned out to be travelling under multiple identities. — Sergeant Salehudin Samsudin (above) has to be alert at all times. Recently, he spotted a suspicious-looking man who turned out to be travelling under multiple identities. ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF

First Response Team officers (top) ordering a "gunman" to surrender in a terror drill before subduing him and ensuring the safety of his "victim" (above). — First Response Team officers ordering a "gunman" to surrender in a terror drill before subduing him and ensuring the safety of his "victim" (above). ST PHOTO: ZAIHAN MOHAMED YUSOF

Zaihan Mohamed Yusof

Senior Crime Correspondent

Updated

Published

May 08, 2019, 05:00 AM

To most travellers, sergeants Salehudin Samsudin and Loo Jie Ying look like regular Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers in their uniform.

But both are part of ICA's First Response Team (FRT) and are each equipped with a live-stream body camera, a unified handset, a Global Positioning System tracker and a Taurus revolver.

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