Singapore is known to be one of the safest countries in the world. In 2021, the overall crime rate per 100,000 population was 847. While most of us think about the Singapore Police Force when it comes to crimes, the Singapore Prison Service steps in once the offenders have been prosecuted and work to ensure secure custody of offenders and rehabilitate them.
Aspiring candidates can join the Singapore Prison Service as Prison Officers (Rehabilitation Officer or Sergeant). Here’s how much in salary, sign-on bonuses, and other monetary incentives you can earn if you choose to join the Singapore Prison Service.
Read Also: Salary Guide To How Much Can You Earn If You Join The Singapore Police Force (SPF)
How Much Does A Prison Officer Earn?
If you join the Singapore Prison Service as a Sergeant, you can expect to earn between $2,000 – $2,991 depending on your educational qualifications, relevant work experience and completion of full-time National Service. In comparison, the median graduate starting salary for diploma holders and NITEC (without NS) is $2,600 and $1,720 respectively in 2022.
If you join the Prison Service as a Rehabilitation Officer, you can expect to earn between $4,800 – $5,499 depending on your educational qualifications, relevant work experience and completion of full-time National Service. In comparison, the median graduate starting salary for degree holders is $4,200 in 2022.
Additionally, you would also receive the following benefits:
- Annual Leave (14 to 18 days for Sergeant, 18 to 21 days for Rehabilitation Officer)
- Annual medical leave of 14 days or 60 days with hospitalisation
- Annual bonus and performance bonus
- Sponsorship for continuous education
- Group insurance
- Subsidised medical and dental care
- Staff welfare benefits
- Use of government holiday chalets
Sign-On Bonus
Additionally, Sergeants may be eligible to receive a Sign-On Bonus of $10,000. This will be given in 2 tranches of $3,000 and $7,000 respectively.
Rehabilitation Officers are not eligible for this bonus.
Entry Requirements
As one of the uniformed services, Singapore Prison Service has physical requirements for their prison officers. Sergeants and Rehabilitation Officers must meet the same physical requirements. However, the entry educational qualifications differ. Sergeants enter with Diploma/ GCE ‘A’ Levels/ Higher Nitec qualifications and Rehabilitation Officers enter with a Degree pass in any discipline.
Source: SPS
Training and Upgrading
New entrants are required to undergo a Prison Officer Course (Sergeant) – 30-week for Sergeants and 38-week for Rehabilitation Officers. The Prison Officer Course (SGT) comprise physical training, tactical readiness and academic components to prepare new Captains of Lives with the mindset, skillsets and toolsets for work in SPS.
You will also undergo regular in-service training, relevant functional training and courses, and milestone leadership development programs for your professional and personal growth as you advance in your career in Corrections.
All new Prison Officers (also known as Captains of Lives) are required to serve a 2-year bond after they graduate from the course.
Additionally, the Singapore Prison Service supports its officers to continually upgrade themselves through various upgrading and developmental schemes.
Source: SPS
Retirement Schemes
Both Sergeants and Rehabilitation Officers are eligible for the INVEST Scheme, as well as Strategic Payment Scheme.
Prison Officers Are Eligible For Retirement Benefits Under The INVEST Scheme
The INVEST Scheme is a scheme for uniformed officers under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). It was established to help officers transit into their second career as they have an earlier retirement age of 55 as compared to the rest of the Civil Service at 62, and also compared to the Civil Service’s re-employment age of 67.
Under the INVEST Scheme, a contribution equivalent to 7.75% to 13.25% of the gross salary is credited monthly into the officer’s retirement account, starting from the fifth year in service and ceases when the officer reaches 56 years old. The monies are invested to earn investment returns. Upon retirement, the officer can withdraw the full sum in the retirement account.
Read Also: Retirement Planning In Singapore: How Much Do I Need To Save And Invest To Retire At 55?
Prison Officers Also Receive Retention Reward For Staying In The Service
According to SPS’s Strategic Payment Scheme, new officers can look forward to cash payouts of 3 months (ASP and below) or 2.5 months (DSP and above) quantum upon reaching their 3rd, 6th, 9th, 12th, 15th, 20th, and 25th year in service.
Assuming that there is no increment nor promotion, a payout of $14,400 will be made at each service milestone and the total retention payouts will amount to $100,800, based on a gross salary of $4,800 at the end of 25 years of service.
Read Also: How Much Does A Singapore Army Officer Earn?
Joining The Prison Service Is More Than Security
For the Prison Service, it is a career that is more than job security, it is about being a Captain of Lives. While enforcement of security to protect our citizens is an important aspect of being a prison officer, rehabilitation is equally important to help offenders develop the needed skills and support to stop offending
Joining the Service should be more than the salary, more than being a guard but is about whether you aspire to create a positive impact in the lives of offenders, and inspire everyone at every chance towards a society without re-offending.
This article was originally published on 16 Mar 2022 and updated with new information.
The post Salary Guide: How Much Can You Earn If You Join The Singapore Prison Service (SPS) appeared first on DollarsAndSense.sg.
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