Man in SAF uniform apprehended by police who forced entry into Woodlands HDB flat

Singapore – Police apprehended a man who did not let Institute of Mental Health (IMH) staff enter his HDB Woodlands flat on Friday (Feb 5).

Videos of the incident are circulating online, such as a post shared by Facebook user Patrick Tan which has been viewed over 3,400 times to date.

In the first video, the police’s Special Operations Command officers could be seen using various tools to remove a unit’s door. Once the door was dislodged, bystanders watching the scene could be heard commenting that the doorway was still blocked by what appeared to be a fridge.

When the officers manoeuvred their way inside the unit, a commotion could be heard. Multiple voices could be heard shouting aggressively, although it is unclear what caused the stir.

In the second video, bystanders cheered as two Special Ops team members accompanied by at least five police officers led a man dressed in Singapore Armed Forces uniform to a nearby police car.

According to a mothership.sg report on Feb 8, the police had received a call for assistance from IMH staff visiting the man’s home in Woodlands on Feb 5. The 37-year-old IMH patient allegedly refused to cooperate with the medical staff and had locked himself inside his HDB flat.

When he refused to open the door, the officers assessed the man could pose a danger to himself and possibly others. So they decided to conduct a forced entry, the report noted.

When the officers succeeded in entering the unit at about 4:23 pm, they apprehended the man under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Act. The man was later sent to the IMH for further assessment./TISG

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