Different type of love, different type of mission

On 14 Feb 2012, Central Narcotics Bureau (CNB) officers were deployed in force on the ground, with a different mission – not to arrest drug offenders, but to give back to the community. Officers from CNB’s Supervision Division were out in full force islandwide, including areas such as Bukit Merah, Tanglin Halt, Ang Mo Kio, Bedok and Jurong, to distribute goodie bags to 223 needy elderly living alone at homes with limited or no family support. The goodie bags contained 12 items of daily necessities such as rice, canned food, washing detergent, and toilet paper. CNB officers purchased the items from staff donations before packaging and distributing the goodie bags personally.

Part of CNB’s Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives to encourage staff to give back to the community, this has become an annual event for officers in the Supervision Division since 2007. CNB officers this year sought to contribute to the elderly beneficiaries under the Lions Befrienders Service Association, a voluntary welfare organisation whose core mission is to reach out to lonely seniors through various community programmes.

After deducting the amount used to purchase the items from suppliers, the rest of the donations collected by the officers amounting to about one thousand dollars were also given to the Association. Director Supervision Mr Gerard Anthony said, “We experience firsthand, the sadness and suffering by the abusers’ families in the course of our daily work. This meaningful event allows us to set aside a bit of time and money to do our part to help the needy in our society.”

Mr Goh Boo Han, Executive Director of Lions Befrienders said, “We appreciate very much the material support given by CNB to our beneficiaries, but more importantly, the human contact provided by the officers during their engagement with the seniors is a socio-emotional support that is much needed for these lonely seniors.”

Central Narcotics Bureau 14 February 2012

Photos from left: CNB officers on the way to distribute goodie bags, a CNB officer cheerfully distributing goodie bags to an elderly beneficiary of the Lion Befrienders Service Association.