Nothing in police training prepares you for the first time you come face to face with death. For Superintendent of Police (Supt) Natalie Yap, that moment arrived earlier than expected, when she was just 25 years old.
Fresh out of training as an Investigation Officer (IO) more than a decade ago, she stepped into a dim Housing and Development Board bedroom on her very first case involving a death – and froze.
“It was my first time seeing a dead body, in a state of unnatural death,” she recalls. Grieving family members looked to her for answers while other uniformed officers waited for instructions. In that instant, she realised the uniform was not just a badge of authority; it was a big responsibility she had to rise to.
Supt Yap’s training took over: offering direction to her team, reassuring the family, handling the body with respect and processing the scene.
“You are a leader, no matter what your rank or experience is. People look to you because they know you are a Police officer,” says the 35-year-old, who now heads the Investigation Policy Branch at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
Awarded the Local Merit Scholarship under the Ministry of Home Affairs Uniformed Scholarship (SPF) in 2009, Supt Yap pursued a double degree at the National University of Singapore, graduating with a bachelor of laws and a master’s in public policy.
Those years equipped her with a deep understanding of how laws and policies are made, and how they shape the work of Singapore’s Home Team agencies.
“Law school gave me a head start in terms of how to logically and methodically approach a complex scenario, break it down, apply the law to it, and then come to a coherent and defensible position on the matter,” she says.
A self-professed “girl’s girl”, Supt Yap is as comfortable in a pink off-shoulder blouse and soft curls as she is in a crisp Police bush jacket and with her hair neatly pinned up.
She laughs at the memory of her first day at Senior Officer Basic Course training – rolling a full suitcase into camp while everyone else carried duffel bags. Inside were skincare products, shower gel and other beauty essentials.
“I don’t think my instructors had ever seen someone drag in a piece of luggage,” she says.
Reality set in quickly. From marching drills and regimented routines to catered meals at the mess hall, those months stripped away comforts she was accustomed to. It was a culture shock for her initially.
The adjustments did not stop at training. During her second foundational posting as a Patrol Unit Team Leader with the Traffic Police, she faced another unexpected challenge: learning to ride a motorbike.
“Back then, I couldn’t even ride a bicycle,” she says. “Now I can do both.”
Currently 12 years into her career with the SPF, Supt Yap has already journeyed farther than she had ever imagined.
One of her most formative experiences came in November 2021, when she spent a year in Vienna on attachment at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – her first overseas stint with the SPF.
“I had the opportunity to work with ambassadors, diplomats and multinational colleagues,” she says. “It also exposed me to global crime and drug issues, and allowed me to appreciate how these affect policymaking at home.”
When she returned to Singapore, Supt Yap was appointed as Deputy Head of Investigation at Woodlands Police Division, where she led 150 officers – five times the size of her previous command.
“Policing gives me the space to be myself,” she reflects. “I can dress up for work without affecting how the work is done, and I still get to take on challenging work, like charting the policy path.”
She credits the SPF’s culture and good supervisors who focused on developing her capabilities rather than changing who she was. “I have always been judged based on my ability, rather than my gender or the way I dress. By being knowledgeable, capable and hardworking, I earned respect naturally,” says Supt Yap.
“Female officers are integral to policing,” she adds, noting that vulnerable victims often feel more comfortable opening up to women officers.
“Policing gives me the space to be myself. I can dress up for work without affecting how the work is done, and I still get to take on challenging work, like charting the policy path.”
– Supt Natalie Yap, recipient of the Local Merit Scholarship under the Ministry of Home Affairs Uniformed Scholarship (SPF)
Her time leading Woodlands Police Division’s Investigation Branch sharpened her operational instincts and made her more attuned to the human value behind each case file.
That grounding now guides her work at the policy level, in her role as the Head of the Investigation Policy Branch at CID since 2025.
Supt Yap is in charge of setting investigative policies for hundreds of officers across the Force, ensuring processes keep pace with evolving crime trends while remaining grounded in front-line realities.
“I am able to develop policies that are practical and grounded because I had both the operations training and the front-line experience,” explains Supt Yap.
Among her key contributions is streamlining administrative work, allowing IOs to focus on their core investigative tasks. Working closely with the team behind the SPF’s case management system, she has helped automate parts of the investigative process and introduce prompts that guide IOs on required actions.
For IOs managing heavy caseloads, these improvements reduce mental load, standardise investigative practices and make investigations more efficient overall.
Today, Supt Yap’s responsibilities place her mostly in civilian attire and at a desk. Nonetheless, she is clear about what the uniform represents – and what it demands of those who wear it.
“If you want to put on the uniform, you cannot treat policing like a regular job,” she says. “Your actions matter because people turn to you for answers in their most difficult moments.”
| About the Singapore Police Force Scholarship The Singapore Police Force Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships offered by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to candidates who demonstrate strong leadership qualities and have a strong interest in policing work. Scholars will continue their learning journeys at world- renowned universities that provide intellectually, socially and personally enriching programmes. Upon graduation, scholars will be involved in shaping policies that address issues on public law and order, as well as play an integral role in protecting the country and its communities. |
This article is brought to you by the Singapore Police Force.
