A Facebook user, Greg Scarpa, posted yesterday (11 Jul) that he is pissed with the Police. He believes that he was profiled by the police for searches just because he had tattoos on his body.
The Police besides checking his bags and belongings, also patted him down, and wanted information like where he worked. Greg said that he was unaware what information he should legally share and what he can choose not to, so he complied with all the requests of the Police.
The Police found nothing on Greg and his friend, and as they were leaving, they allegedly said that the search was a ‘waste of time’. With over 1400 shares, since it was shared a few hours ago, his post has gone viral.
Greg is not the first Singaporean to complain that the Police had unfairly profiled him just because he had tattoos. In 2013, another Facebook user, Desmond Charles Perry-Wong, in a post in the Singapore Police Force’s Facebook, claimed the same.
Just in case you can’t see his post, this is what he said:
“Earlier in the afternoon at around 3.21 pm, me and my Friend Admus was walking back from Fu Lu Shou towards Sim Lim where he parked his car. His Wife accompanied by his 10 months old baby was waiting for us near the traffic light when 2 uniformed policemen called for us from behind and beckoned us to stop. They wanted to do a screening on us.
Out of everyone in that busy street they chose to only stop us and if I assume, it must be because we are tattooed and that they are being biased and stereotypical.
When they approached us asking for our identity cards, I asked my friend, ” why screen is when there are so many others on this street?” Admus had left his I.C in his car and therefore they took down his particulars on a notebook. I gave my I.C and they did the screening.
After that, we were asked to empty our pockets and in reply I asked them if they had a search warrant to do a search on us. Staff sergeant Syahirah’s respond was that they are the warrant itself. I’m not sure of the protocols and without reluctance we agreed to be searched. Admus’s bag was also searched.
In between they asked us what were we working as. In between I asked them which division were they from and took a picture of both of them. They are from Alpha division as I was told by staff sergeant Syahirah.
Is it a necessity for them to know what we’re working as? What has it got to do with them if we’re working or not? If let’s say I’m not working are they gonna get me a job?
Anyways, after searching Admus’s bag I was asked to empty my pockets again and corporal Tan Wei Qi patted my pockets to check if there is anything else hidden. After finding nothing on us I sarcastically asked if they wanted to check if there’s anything hidden in my shoes as they are full of suspicion.
They didn’t want to check my shoes and before leaving, staff sergeant Syahirah said that we are a waste of time. If we’re a waste of time, then why in the first place did you stop to screen us wasting our time!? Why don’t you screen others who are not tattooed who could also be of threat?