Statute Details
- Title: Police Force (Exemption) Order 2017
- Act Code: PFA2004-S755-2017
- Legislative Type: Subsidiary legislation (SL)
- Authorising Act: Police Force Act (Cap. 235), specifically section 116
- Commencement: 1 January 2018
- Legislation Number: S 755/2017
- Status: Current version as at 27 Mar 2026 (per the legislation portal)
- Key Provisions: Section 2 (Definitions); Section 3 (Exemption); Section 4 (Revocation)
What Is This Legislation About?
The Police Force (Exemption) Order 2017 is a Singapore legal instrument made under the Police Force Act (Cap. 235). In practical terms, it creates targeted exemptions from a specific restriction in the Police Force Act relating to the carrying or possession of certain items in public places—particularly in contexts involving security work and authorised weapons.
The Order does not broadly “change” police powers or public safety rules. Instead, it fine-tunes how an existing statutory requirement applies to particular categories of persons. The exemption is anchored to section 86(9)(a) of the Police Force Act, which—without the exemption—would apply to persons in a way that could interfere with legitimate security operations and authorised weapon carriage.
Accordingly, the Order’s scope is narrow and operational. It identifies (i) licensed security agencies and their personnel when performing “security transportation” in the manner specified in their licence; (ii) private investigators, security officers, and security service providers who are authorised under the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act (Cap. 184) to carry or possess specified weapons; and (iii) persons specifically authorised by the Commissioner of Police under the same Miscellaneous Offences Act to carry or possess truncheons or specified weapons in public places.
What Are the Key Provisions?
1. Citation and commencement (Section 1)
Section 1 provides the formal name of the instrument and states that it comes into operation on 1 January 2018. For practitioners, this matters because it determines when the exemption applies and therefore when compliance strategies (e.g., licensing checks and authorisation documentation) should be updated.
2. Definitions (Section 2)
Section 2 defines three terms that are central to the exemption scheme:
- “security transportation” is given the same meaning as in regulation 23 of the Private Security Industry (Private Investigation and Security Agencies) Regulations 2009 (G.N. No. S 167/2009). This cross-reference is important: it means the exemption is not based on a vague idea of “transporting security-related items”, but on the regulatory definition used in the private security regulatory framework.
- “specified weapon” means any weapon specified by the Minister under section 22A(1) of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act (Cap. 184). This ties the Police Force exemption to a dynamic list of weapons that may be specified by ministerial action.
- “valid security agency’s licence” means a security agency’s licence issued under the Private Security Industry Act (Cap. 250A) that is in force. The exemption therefore depends on licence validity at the relevant time.
3. The exemption (Section 3)
Section 3 is the core operative provision. It states that section 86(9)(a) of the Police Force Act does not apply to certain persons. In other words, the statutory restriction in section 86(9)(a) is carved out for the categories listed in paragraphs (a) to (c).
(a) Licensed security agencies performing “security transportation”
Under section 3(a), the exemption applies to “any person” who:
- holds a valid security agency’s licence; and
- provides, in the course of that person’s business as a security agency, security transportation in the manner specified in that licence.
This is a conditional exemption. It is not enough that the person is generally in the security industry; the exemption is linked to (i) holding a currently valid licence and (ii) performing security transportation in the specific manner authorised by that licence. For practitioners, this creates a compliance checklist: licence status and adherence to licence conditions are both essential.
(b) Authorised private investigators and security personnel carrying specified weapons
Section 3(b) exempts “any person” who is:
- a private investigator, security officer, or security service provider licensed under the Private Security Industry Act; and
- authorised under section 22A(4) of the Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act to carry or have in the person’s possession in any public place a truncheon or specified weapon.
This provision is significant because it bridges two regulatory regimes: private security licensing and weapon authorisation under the Miscellaneous Offences Act. The exemption ensures that where a person has obtained the necessary weapon authorisation, the Police Force Act restriction in section 86(9)(a) will not impede that authorised carriage in public places.
(c) Persons authorised by the Commissioner of Police
Section 3(c) further exempts “any person” who is authorised by the Commissioner of Police under section 22A(5) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act to carry or have in the person’s possession or under the person’s control in any public place a truncheon or specified weapon.
This is a discretionary authorisation pathway. It recognises that not all authorised weapon carriage will necessarily be limited to the categories in section 3(b). Where the Commissioner grants authorisation under the specified statutory mechanism, the Police Force Act restriction is disapplied for that authorised conduct.
4. Revocation (Section 4)
Section 4 revokes the Police Force (Exemption) Order 2008 (G.N. No. S 433/2008). Revocation is legally important: it confirms that the 2017 Order is intended to replace the earlier exemption framework. Practitioners should therefore avoid relying on the 2008 Order for current compliance analysis, and instead apply the 2017 Order as the operative instrument (subject to any later amendments, if any).
How Is This Legislation Structured?
The Order is short and structured as a typical Singapore subsidiary legislation instrument with four sections:
- Section 1 (Citation and commencement): identifies the instrument and its effective date (1 January 2018).
- Section 2 (Definitions): provides cross-referenced definitions for “security transportation”, “specified weapon”, and “valid security agency’s licence”.
- Section 3 (Exemption): sets out the categories of persons to whom section 86(9)(a) of the Police Force Act does not apply.
- Section 4 (Revocation): revokes the earlier 2008 exemption order.
Notably, the Order does not create new licensing regimes by itself. Instead, it operates as a “connector” between the Police Force Act and other statutes/regulations governing private security and weapon authorisation.
Who Does This Legislation Apply To?
The exemption applies to specific persons and activities, rather than to the public at large. In summary, it covers:
- Security agency licence holders (and “any person” meeting the criteria) who provide security transportation in the manner specified in their licence.
- Licensed private investigators, security officers, and security service providers who are authorised under section 22A(4) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act to carry or possess truncheons or specified weapons in public places.
- Any person authorised by the Commissioner of Police under section 22A(5) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act to carry or possess (or have under control) truncheons or specified weapons in public places.
Because the exemption is conditional on licensing and authorisation, the practical applicability depends on documentary status at the relevant time: the security agency licence must be valid; the person must be licensed under the Private Security Industry Act (for section 3(b)); and weapon carriage must be supported by the relevant authorisation under the Miscellaneous Offences Act (for sections 3(b) and 3(c)).
Why Is This Legislation Important?
This Order is important because it prevents legal conflict between different regulatory objectives. Singapore’s legal framework regulates private security activities and also regulates weapon carriage in public places. Without an exemption, a person who is properly licensed and authorised under the private security and Miscellaneous Offences regimes could still face an additional restriction under the Police Force Act—potentially undermining legitimate security operations.
From an enforcement and compliance perspective, the Order provides clarity: it identifies when the Police Force Act restriction in section 86(9)(a) is disapplied. For practitioners advising security companies, private investigators, and security officers, the Order underscores that compliance is multi-layered. It is not sufficient to have a general security licence; the licence must be valid and the activity must fall within the defined “security transportation” performed in the manner specified in the licence. Similarly, weapon carriage in public places must be supported by the correct authorisation pathway under the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
Finally, the revocation of the 2008 Order signals that the 2017 instrument is the controlling exemption framework. Practitioners should therefore treat the 2017 Order as the current legal basis for advising on exemptions from section 86(9)(a) of the Police Force Act, while also checking whether any later amendments have modified the operative conditions or the underlying cross-referenced provisions.
Related Legislation
- Police Force Act (Cap. 235), including section 86(9)(a) and section 116 (authorising power)
- Private Security Industry Act (Cap. 250A)
- Private Security Industry (Private Investigation and Security Agencies) Regulations 2009 (G.N. No. S 167/2009), including regulation 23 (definition of “security transportation”)
- Miscellaneous Offences (Public Order and Nuisance) Act (Cap. 184), including section 22A(1), section 22A(4), and section 22A(5)
Source Documents
This article provides an overview of the Police Force (Exemption) Order 2017 for legal research and educational purposes. It does not constitute legal advice. Readers should consult the official text for authoritative provisions.