Updated:

Woman harassed by drunk man: Police apologise for not handling call better

Helpless lady assaulted by drunkard man @3am called 999 rejected

Original Video Credits: Jaclyn Teo (Facebook)

When Jacyln Teo encountered a drunk man who tried to force his way into her car, she called the police only to be told repeatedly, ‘you must help me before I can help you’. The police have apologised for not handling the call better.

According to The Straits Times, Ms Teo, who still feels traumatised, went to Upper Thomson at around 2am on Sunday with her husband to get supper for her father. They parked outside a convenience store where her husband alighted and left the doors unlocked, reported Shin Min. Suddenly, a man who had alcohol on his breath opened the door where Ms Teo was sitting. He also spewed vulgarities and gestured angrily, she told The Straits Times, adding that she managed to slam the door shut and call the police.

In a statement on Wednesday, the police said that officers went down to where Ms Teo had been 15 minutes after her call at 2.09am, but neither she nor the man who had allegedly harassed her were there. They also said the police operator had “acted correctly by attempting to narrow down the caller’s location”.

But the way the operator, who has since been counselled, tried to pinpoint the location could be “improved” and the call “should have been handled more professionally”, a spokesman said.

Credits: STOMP Singapore

==============================================================================================================

A couple of my friends were sharing this video on Facebook which is slowly going viral.

Helpless lady assaulted by drunkard man @3am called 999 rejected

Original Video Credits: Jaclyn Teo (Facebook)

The following video description accompanying the video is written by Jaclyn Teo (Facebook)

I am writing this in the midst of fear, helplessness and disappointment because until this very moment I still could not believe what I heard from the police woman who took my call when the incident happened. And YES, I am very angry. The only FACT I know at this present moment is that the entire conversation with 999 is still haunting me. I am still feeling very scared and threatened. Because if I die, this case will be closed just because the officer who took the call demanded “an exchange” just like a transaction. She said that she CANNOT HELP ME IF I CANNOT HELP HER FIRST.

However, I strongly believe that the SPF should have the ability to trace both my call for help & my exact location instead of sounding so very “uninterested” just because I was totally traumatised when that Indian man suddenly opened the door of my passenger seat holding his ABC Extra Stout (which I believe is a very strong alcohol) trying to come so close — as a woman, if this is not a THREAT, SEXUAL HARASSMENT OR AN ASSULT that was about to happened to me physically, how else would you best describe this? Instead of offering your duty to help anyone who calls 999, is this the right attitude as a police officer?

This is what she told me:-
999: “Mdm I cannot help you if you cannot help me with your location.”
Me: “Pls help me. I am very scared. I am now alone inside the car and I am very sure I can’t fight him!”
999: ” But Mdm I cannot help you if you cannot help me!”
Me: “Officer, this is Upper Thomson, I see Prata House Restaurant and I can see a road sign by the left that reads “Jln Ikan Merah”
999: “Which part of Thomson?”
999: “You must help me before I can help you!”
No Sorry. Only rejection and refusal to help a helpless victim. Drunkard man opened the door.

Dear SPF, this is exactly what your staff told me when I asked for help. I gave her all the information I had. However, at any time if u feel this is untrue or I may have heard wrongly then may I suggest you to do a call tracking because as a citizen I believe you have the latest technology to locate me before I got molested, raped or died??? Why did u leave me in the lurch?

Is this how you treat a woman who’s life was at stake? I mentioned the very famous 24hr The Prata House as well as a road sign “Jln Ikan Merah” yet the officer who took my call sounded impatient by telling me she could not identify Thomson estates? What else can I do as a woman, feeling lost and terrified when the smell of the alcohol became so very obvious and I was alone in the car? I asked 999 for help. Your staff @999 rejected me on the spot! Yet, after being rejected I had to thank her for the service to end the call even though she told me she cannot help me.

My question for you now is,

(1) What is the value of a woman’s life at stake compared to your SOP?
(2) I clearly mentioned I was very scared the moment he open the door to try to get into the car when I was alone.
(3) Given the description of the vicinity how can you ask me to help you in order for you to help me?
(4) Did your GPS breakdown when you @999 heard I was being threatened?
(5) You are worse than Facebook if Facebook was able to identify my location while your officer said she couldn’t!
(6) What is “Mdm I cannot help you if you cannot help me?”

By law, am I obligated to help you first before you can save me? Why? When did the law of justice changed that I am required to help the police when I am the one who called for help?

If only you allow me to carry a gun like in USA, I would not have disturb your peaceful night at your Police Helpdesk. Just say it to me straight forwardly I must help myself with my petite body against a man of a bigger size at about 3am in the streets of the very well known self-declared safe country call SINGAPORE.

Why did you turn me down?
Why did you enforce such a horrendous law that it is the responsibility of a woman who’s panic stricken to help you before you can decide to help or not to help?

To the female officer who took my call, I hope you know you are representing SPF. Part of your salaries came from us, tax payers. I still remember our Prime Minister ever humbly said “he is our servant” so it is his responsibility to serve the people. Therefore, if you don’t feel like helping me, then may I have the PM’s hotline because he is more caring, thoughtful and humane than a useless bump like you who simple cannot take pride in your job!

Singapore Police Force. 999 is the only source for help yet I had to thank her for her service just because she showed no sense of responsibility nor urgency, paying no respect to her organization that pledged that our safety is your responsibility???

As a victim, I am left with a picture and video shots of this incident that the police is uninterested. However, I am sure many of my friends here who cares for me are interested about my safety. Lets get puzzled together as to how come the country can pledged that Singapore is the safest country. Give the women a gun to defend themselves if you cannot help.

Please give me a gun if you feel that I have to help myself in such a critical situation. Why do police carry gun? Why do guys serve NS? What is the purpose of the Police Helpline 999? Why do we follow SOP? Will I still be able to reach out to my friends here if I got raped in some dark corner u cannot identify? You refused to take my case because I’m still alive. This case will be closed & probably “classified” because a dead woman can’t talk!

Written by: Jaclyn Teo (Facebook)

Your thoughts?

Till later,
♥ mitsueki

Like my blog on Facebook!
Follow me on @mitsueki on Twitter & Instagram