SINGAPORE: Every neighbourhood police centre (NPC) in Singapore will be fully equipped with smart locker systems by the end of 2027, to reduce the time it takes officers to retrieve and return either firearms or other equipment.

The Singapore Police Force (SPF) on Sunday (May 25) announced that all 34 NPCs will implement automated equipping systems (AES) by June 2026.

And by December 2027, all NPCs will have automated armoury system (AAS) for faster self-service withdrawal and return of armaments.

During a visit to the Woodleigh NPC, members of the media were given a start-to-finish demonstration of how the systems work, and how officers can wrap up the process in less than five minutes. 

Police officers first have to scan their warrant card and enter an authorisation pin, before selecting the equipment to be drawn or returned.

AES lockers store a range of gear including batons, handcuffs and police access travel passes.

Previously, maintenance officers would have to manage all equipment and paperwork for daily issuance, and police officers would spend time queuing to collect and sign out their equipment individually.

“Officers now have greater flexibility, as they are able to equip themselves without having to wait for a maintenance officer to initiate the process. They can withdraw equipment simultaneously, significantly saving time and improving efficiency compared to the previous queuing system,” SPF said in a release.

The AES also allows officers to return faulty equipment or withdraw replacement gear without the help of a maintenance officer.

As of May, 30 out of 34 NPCs have already implemented the AES system. 

The police's logistics department is also exploring new technology in AES, beyond the current use of Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) and weight sensors, SPF said. 

At Woodleigh NPC, the AAS is located in a room just opposite the AES.

Similar to the AES, officers begin by scanning their warrant cards —but with the armoury system, there is a facial recognition step for added security.

Previously, the duty armourer on shift would have to prepare and collect armaments from officers, and manually account for them. 

“This process can take up to two hours at the beginning or end of each shift. Limitations in manpower and having a single issuance point resulted in an inefficient queue system,” SPF said, adding that the AAS now allows officers to withdraw and return armaments at their own time rather than waiting in line.

As of May 2025, the AAS has been implemented in four NPCs.

“The implementation of these automated systems has removed manual processes and significantly improved the efficiency of our frontline officers," said Woodleigh NPC commanding officer Sabrina Wong.

"As a result, some of them are able to be redeployed to support other frontline duties, while others are able to utilise their time more meaningfully."