Singapore legislation
Section 22A
of Miscellaneous Offences(Public Order and Nuisance) Act 1906
Section 22A
Carrying truncheons, etc., in public places
(1)
Except as provided in this section or any other written law, a person must not, in any public place, carry or have in his or her possession or under his or her control (whether or not in the performance of his or her functions as a private investigator, security officer or security service provider licensed under the Private Security Industry Act 2007) any truncheon, handcuffs, or such other weapon or equipment as may from time to time be specified by the Minister by notification in the Gazette.
(2)
Any private investigator, security officer or security service provider licensed under the Private Security Industry Act 2007, or any other person, who contravenes subsection (1) shall be guilty of an offence and shall be liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding $5,000 or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding one month or to both.
(3)
Nothing in this section prohibits or prevents the carrying of any truncheon, handcuffs or specified weapon or equipment by a police officer, an auxiliary police officer, a forensic specialist or civilian police assistant acting in the course of his or her duty as such in accordance with the Police Force Act 2004, or a member of the Singapore Armed Forces or of any visiting force lawfully present in Singapore under any law relating to visiting forces.
(4)
A private investigator, security officer or security service provider who is licensed under the Private Security Industry Act 2007 may be authorised to carry or have in his or her possession in any public place any truncheon, handcuffs or specified weapon or equipment if, and only if —
the licensing officer under that Act is satisfied that it is necessary for the performance of his or her functions as a private investigator, security officer or security service provider, and it is appropriate for permission to be given for such carrying or possession;
the private investigator’s licence, the security officer’s licence or the security service provider’s licence (as the case may be) is endorsed (with or without conditions) by the licensing officer to permit such carrying or possession; and
the truncheon, handcuffs, weapon or equipment is of the type approved by that licensing officer.
(5)
The Commissioner of Police may authorise, subject to such conditions of authorisation as he or she thinks fit to impose, any person, or every person belonging to a class of persons, to carry or have in the person’s possession or under the person’s control in any public place any truncheon, handcuffs or specified weapon or equipment, if —
the Commissioner of Police is satisfied that such carrying, possession or control is necessary in the circumstances, and it is appropriate for permission to be given for such carrying, possession or control; and
the truncheon, handcuffs, weapon or equipment is of the type approved by the Commissioner of Police.
(6)
The Commissioner of Police may at any time —
revoke any authorisation under subsection (5); or
add to, vary or revoke any condition of authorisation imposed under subsection (5).
(7)
In this section —
Definition
“public place” includes any premises or place to which the public has or is permitted to have access, whether on the invitation of the owners or occupiers thereof or on payment or otherwise;
Definition
“specified weapon or equipment” means any weapon or equipment specified by the Minister under subsection (1).