Safer roads for elderly thanks to Traffic Community Policing

A new community policing unit from the Traffic Police (TP) set up last June - called Traffic Community Policing (TCOP) - sends officers to neighbourhoods to engage residents and to find out local traffic concerns, reported The Straits Times. This in turn helps to make roads safer for the elderly. 

"Usually people are apprehensive when we come, they will think, is the TP here to summon us for illegal parking? But once they know we are here to help, they open up," said Assistant Superintendent (ASP) Candice Goh, 28, one of five TCOP team leaders here.

The unit has 15 officers covering the entire island. While the unit might seem lean, ASP Goh said they have had a significant impact. Since the unit was set up in June, it has responded to nine different traffic concerns around the island.

Elderly jaywalkers are an area of concern for the TP. Last year, there were 211 accidents involving elderly pedestrians, about a quarter of which were a result of jaywalking. ASP Goh said the new unit reflects a more proactive approach, "We want to step in and solve problems before accidents happen."