In most jobs, success is easy to spot – a deal closed, a case solved, a problem fixed. In this particular job, the best outcomes are the ones that most people do not even notice. This is the world of VIP protection, where success leaves no trace and the people who operate in it are trained to respond instinctively to protect others first.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Lee Jun Hao is one of them. As a Singapore Police Force (SPF) officer with the Police Security Command (SecCom), he belongs to a specialist unit responsible for protecting the President, Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers and visiting foreign dignitaries.
What does a day protecting VIPs look like? Watch this video.
Jun Hao and his team plan and coordinate security operations for regular and high-profile events. For him, a good day at work is when there is nothing to talk about.
“When everything goes according to plan, there are no headlines, and no safety and security concerns, then I know I’ve done my job,” he says. “If you want to know more, you must join us,” he quips.
The individuals whom SecCom officers protect are not just high-profile figures; they are decision-makers responsible for Singapore’s leadership, governance and economic direction.
Safeguarding them is not just about personal security but also about ensuring continuity and stability at a national level.
Today, as an Operations Officer (Planning) within SecCom’s Operations and Intelligence Branch, Jun Hao plans, designs and executes security plans for everyday and large-scale events.
“At major events like the National Day Parade and the IISS Shangri-La Dialogue, there are very elaborate and deliberate security plans in place,” he says.
This is his second posting in SecCom, after an earlier front-line role in the unit’s VIP escort team. Much of his work now – which involves anticipating risks as well as planning security operations and contingencies – is grounded in that first posting.
“Having been on the ground at events before, I more or less know how things fall into place,” he says.
As a recipient of the Local Merit Scholarship under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) Uniformed Scholarship, Jun Hao joined the SPF in 2020 after graduating from Nanyang Technological University with a bachelor’s degree in banking and finance.
“When everything goes according to plan, there are no headlines, and no safety and security concerns, then I know I’ve done my job.”
– ASP Lee Jun Hao, recipient of the Local Merit Scholarship under the MHA Uniformed Scholarship (SPF)
Like many officers, he began his career in investigations – fast-paced, demanding work that forms the backbone of policing.
Three years down the road, an opportunity arose that would take him somewhere few officers go: SecCom.
The selection process for the elite unit was stringent, involving multiple rounds of assessments – from psychological profiling to physical fitness – designed to hone not just his skill set but also his instincts.
“Specialist units like SecCom are physically more demanding,” he says.
After all, the training was not for conventional policing but preparation for something far more niche.
“The training involved third-party defence techniques to protect yourself and someone else, medical response, and tactical shooting that requires a higher level of training compared to the baseline for SPF officers,” recalls Jun Hao.
The high-stakes nature of the job became clear to him during his first posting as a deputy officer-in-charge with SecCom’s VIP escort team.
For a year, his day-to-day physical and mental positioning was to put someone else’s life and safety ahead of his own. When the team sensed danger, the priority was to shield the VIP, even at personal risk.
It required training himself through drilled repetition and disciplined conditioning to place the VIP’s safety as the main priority. “It has been an eye-opening experience, and an honour to work alongside VIPs,” he recalls.
Outside of work, Jun Hao keeps himself fit – from bouldering to taking part in Hyrox events, a fitness race which includes both running and functional workout stations.
The work of SecCom officers may be physically demanding, but fitness alone is not what sustains an officer in the role. Mental endurance matters just as much, he says.
In his early years, he found it difficult to draw the line between work and rest. Even watching crime dramas or documentaries would trigger thoughts of real cases, causing him to replay scenarios long after working hours.
“I actually stopped watching crime shows for a while because of that,” he says. “I’ve since gone back to them, but if I could tell my younger self anything, it would be not to worry too much about work in that initial phase.”
It is advice he now shares in his secondary role as an SPF Career Advisor speaking to aspiring scholars and officers at roadshows.
“When I first applied for the scholarship, I had two things in mind: I didn’t want a desk-bound job and I wanted something purposeful,” he says. Five years into his job, Jun Hao feels he has achieved that purpose as he continues to safeguard some of the most high-profile leaders in Singapore and from around the world at the country’s most significant events.
“When our security operations are successful and I return home after, I feel a sense of satisfaction knowing the plans were well executed,” he says. “It makes the job very fulfilling.”
| 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.
