Be “smart” and keep your hands to yourself say the Singapore police, who are urging party animals to behave as part of its annual clubbing campaign.
No, the “smart clubbing” campaign by the Singapore Police Force (SPF) is not “smart” in a technological sense but in the “behave like a decent, intelligent person” sense.
The year-long campaign is a revival of a previous one the SPF put on in 2019 to urge party-goers to adhere to safe clubbing practices, like how best to deal with drunks, and to get clubs to improve on their surveillance capabilities to keep sleazy folks in check.
This came after an increase in reports of sexual assault cases and fights at nightlife venues last year.
The police said there were 77 molestation cases reported in nightspots from January to September 2022, an increase from 17 cases in 2021 when nightlife activities were restricted due to the pandemic. Nightlife venues were allowed to fully reopen in April of last year.
There were 36 cases of rioting, affray, disorderly behavior and serious hurt reported last year, an increase from 10 cases in 2021.
SPH’s campaign also aims to make sure there are no underaged (below 18 years old) folks, weapons or contraband allowed inside of clubs.
Nightclub staff members are being encouraged to undergo training to deal with drunks and misbehaving guests. Also, more surveillance cameras will be put up around nightlife hotspots.
The police are working with a hundred nightlife outlets from central Singapore as a part of the campaign and are working to bring in even more this year.
Marina Bay Sands’ Marquee nightclub, aka Singapore’s largest (and most commercial) nightclub, saw an appearance by Minister of State for Home Affairs Sun Xueling during the campaign’s launch yesterday.
Sun pointed out the obvious when speaking about drunks who sometimes “put themselves and others in dangerous situations” and said it’s something we all need to look out for when we are at the clubs.
Sun added that party-goers might be in grave danger if weapons were brought into the clubs after Singapore saw several knife and sword incidents in neighborhoods last year.
Thus, Sun suggested staff can refuse to serve them drinks and make sure the troublemaker’s friends are caring for them. Or building a “care room or corner” where guests can sober up might work as well, said Sun.
The Marquee nightclub, which has a walk-through detection system where guests are screened for potential weapons, had its sleazy moments with at least three outrage of modesty cases reported between September and December last year.
The cases all had male perpetrators who sexually assaulted female victims aged between 22 to 27. They were charged in court yesterday.
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