Reflection on CSSP Project 2008 by SSGT (NPCC) Low Wei Jun

This CSSP Project, “PASS round the HATs”, is done by Secondary Three NPCC cadets. The objective of this project was to reduce the number of students becoming victims of hand phone theft. We were given a briefing by SSI (2) Yeo, a Singapore Police Force officer, on what should we do for this project. For a few days after the briefing, we thought of ways to solve this problem.
We came up with solutions such as having an Exhibition Booth and presenting a Power Point Presentation to the students in our school as well as making a database of IMEI Numbers for the Singapore Police Force to keep track of stolen or missing hand phones.

Firstly, we conducted a survey to see what the most common crime in the school is. Results show that the most common crime in the school was vandalism. However, the Secondary 2 cadets are already working on vandalism, so we worked on hand phone theft. Secondly, we handed out slips of paper to the students and told them to write their particulars and IMEI Numbers down on the paper. After collecting back the slips of papers, we transferred the particulars and IMEI Numbers into a database. Although there were 40 students in each class, we took a short time to complete the database as we worked together, each of us completing a few classes.

Secondly, we did a Power Point Presentation to the students on how to retrieve their IMEI Numbers and how to lock their hand phones. We also made an Exhibition Booth, telling students what hand phone theft is and how to prevent it, what have we done for this project and what we would want to achieve after this project. We also designed brochures that contains information on hand phone theft and IMEI Numbers. These brochures were given out to students.

Thirdly, we went to the discipline master and asked for the number of hand phone theft that happened after this project. After knowing that the number of hand phone theft had decreased in the school, we were happy that this project was a success and all of our hard work had paid off.

During this project, all of us learnt much information from the Singapore Police Force on how to prevent hand phone theft. Using the IMEI Numbers, we can track down most hand phones that are stolen or missing. Besides learning some new information about hand phone theft, we also had an experience on being a presenter as some of us had never presented before. Most importantly, we learnt that team work is essential to complete our work within the given time and we bonded more with each other during this project as all of us had to communicate with each other to make this project a success.

Reflection on CSSP Project 2008 by SGT (NPCC) Yap Jasmine

Last year, we Secondary 3s cadets had to do a CSSP project. Together with the officers from the Singapore Police Force, we did a joint project on handphone theft. The project's aim and objective was to reduce the number of Deyi students from becoming victims to handphone theft; and at the same time, raise greater awareness on protection of their handphones. This project also aims to decrease the handphone theft rate in school. I was appointed as the coordinator for this project.

We first started off this project by doing a survey of 150 students from the school and the results showed that the area of concern for students was handphone theft. From the results of the survey, we chose the topic handphone theft.

The scheme 'PASS around the HATs' was then introduced. "PASS" stands for the password lock for the handphones and "HATs" stand for Handphone Anti Theft System. The password lock for the handphone is to prevent thieves from using your handphones if they steal them, because a password is needed to use the SIM card, and without it, it is useless. 'HATs' is the IMEI number system.

As the coordinator for the project, I had learned many useful skills that are able to aid me in the future, for example, presentation skills. I presented the project in front of the Secondary 3 cohort in my school. It was the first presentation I did with such a big audience. Through this presentation, I learned a lot, like how my tone, body posture, body gestures and the speed of my presentation affects the overall performance of a presenter.

Also, I learned how to delegate jobs properly and liaising with the assistant coordinator as well as other personnel who are involved in this project like the school teachers. Before this project, my squad mates and I had little knowledge on handphone theft and most of us had no idea what the IMEI number is. But after handling this project and upon completion, we had gained greater knowledge and understanding of handphone theft and how to prevent it. And definitely after all the display of teamwork and communications during the process, our squad has become a more bonded and closer squad upon completion of this project.

Reflection on CSSP Project 2008 by SI (NPCC) Gary Toh Wei Jie

This project began small, from the need to complete the requirement for the CSSP badge to where we are planning to launch this project as a big scale event. The CSSP requirements could simply be achieved by completing the steps provided by NPCC HQ to solve an issue in the school. But we went the extra mile to value add to our project as well as to the school community and ourselves. For example, one of the steps required us to propose a solution to solve the issue and most probably the simplest solution will be the easiest way, but instead we chose to brainstorm for more solutions and in the end we adopted all of them. Although it was a tough process having an increased workload, we felt that in this case, our learning curve would had increased exponentially and above all, we had added more value to our project outcomes.

We conducted a survey with a class size of about 150 students to find out what is the main problem that they are facing in the school. The survey provided them with these 3 options. The results showed that vandalism is considered the greatest problem in school to the students, followed by handphone theft and rioting/ affray.

We chose the problem on the handphone theft because our juniors had taken up the CSSP project on vandalism. This project was also chosen because of the possibility to tie up with Ang Mo Kio South Neighbourhood Police Centre to have a joint collaboration with the school and our NPCC Unit. The project from the NPC is named “PASS around the HATs”. This is a project to introduce password locked for handphones where the handphones are rendered useless if in any case it was being stolen without the password. This project also includes building a database of students’ handphone information and its IMEI number. This will enable the easy tracking of lost handphones or stolen handphones with the help of the IMEI number.

For the project we decided to have a presentation and exhibition to spread the anti handphone theft messages as well as to raise the awareness on how to prevent handphone theft. We also designed brochures which contain the general information and instructions on how to search for their IMEI number. The presentation was carried out during an assembly session for the Secondary 3 students. We had also earlier on issued out forms for them to fill in and to collate the data required.

On the day of presentation, we were assigned our respective roles and we executed our responsibilities with high hopes for the success of our project. After our own presentation, the Police Officers from the AMK South NPC also presented more information on this project to create more awareness towards handphone theft as well as to further stress the importance of the student’s responsibility to take care of their own belongings. Through the instillation of this knowledge, we hoped this project could serve as deterrence to potential handphone thieves as well as the school community is now better informed of the possible ways to protect their own handphones.

From this project I have come to realize that that are many visible problems happening in the school where we as a student can play a part in preventing them. We hope to work towards building a school culture where everyone plays a part in taking care of their own belongings as well as that of others.