Late police officer who alleged workplace bullying faced 'substantial challenges': SPF

SINGAPORE —The Singapore Police Force (SPF) has revealed that the police officer who had raised allegations of racism and workplace bullying prior to his death on Friday (21 July) had been grappling with "substantial challenges at work".

The police said in a media statement on Monday that Sergeant Uvaraja Gopal's superiors had also extended assistance in light of the difficulties he encountered.

Uvaraja was found motionless at a HDB block in Yishun and died in the hospital on Friday. Police have ruled out foul play.

In a now-removed Facebook post, the 36-year-old officer stated that he had experienced bullying from his superiors and was subjected to ethnic slurs by his teammates. Law and Home Affairs Minister K Shanmugam had promised a thorough investigation into these claims.

In their statement, the police clarified that the late Uvaraja had previously made similar allegations of racial discrimination in 2015. However, after thorough investigation, the claims were "found to be unsubstantiated."

They added that Uvaraja had served with the police for more than 10 years and was last an officer with Ang Mo Kio Police Division.

"At this point, we can set out only the known facts, as not all the relevant facts have been established. It is also inappropriate for the police to make any comments or come to any conclusions pending detailed investigations," the police explained.

The police have also disclosed that Uvaraja had lodged multiple complaints against his superiors and peers over the years, and each of these complaints had been duly investigated and addressed.

Some of these cases are being reviewed in light of the recent allegations made by the late officer.

Allegations of fellow officers' misconduct

In August 2021, the officer reported to his supervisors that he had witnessed some of his colleagues vaping within the police compound.

In response to this complaint, the police assigned an independent supervisor to conduct searches for e-cigarettes and vaping devices within the station premises.

Additionally, the involved officers were interviewed during the investigation. However, after the investigation, the complaint was not substantiated, leading to no disciplinary action being taken against the officers in question.

In January of the following year, while serving in a different police unit, Uvaraja once again brought to the attention of his supervisors that he had observed some officers smoking.

This time, the investigation yielded evidence supporting his claim, and as a result, disciplinary action was taken against the officers who were found to be in violation of the regulations, explained the police.

The SPF responded to Uvaraja's concerns by facilitating his request for a transfer to another unit.

"Following both incidents, his supervisors facilitated his request to transfer to another unit to start afresh, as he felt uncomfortable working with the colleagues he had reported on," the police said in its statement.

Racial discrimination claims

In his final Facebook post - put up just before his death - Uvaraja also alleged racial discrimination at work.

The police responded to these allegations, stating, "Specific to the allegations of racial discrimination, SPF takes a firm stance against such. The police are aware of the allegations of racial discrimination made by the late Sergeant Uvaraja in 2015."

The police further explained that they had already investigated these complaints and interviewed the involved officers, concluding that the allegations were "found to be unsubstantiated."

However, the SPF assured that they will review and investigate these allegations again and present the findings to the Attorney-General's Chambers.

Additionally, the findings will also be submitted to Shanmugam for a decision on whether they should undergo further review.

Work performance, leave requests, and mental health support

According to the SPF, Uvaraja received coaching to address his performance issues and had requested transfers to six different work units over a span of nine years.

He was also granted additional leave beyond his regular entitlements. In 2022, he was present at work for fewer than 30 days due to various types of leave, including extended sick leave, unrecorded leave and no pay leave. This year, he had worked for fewer than 25 days for similar reasons.

In response to reported work stress, Uvaraja was assigned a para-counsellor in January this year. However, on 16 February, after being transferred to a new unit upon his request, SPF noted that he "showed signs of being unstable."

SPF stated, "He was counselled by a para-counsellor on the same day and later attended to by a psychologist from the Police Psychological Services Department. Due to safety concerns, he was relieved from carrying firearms from 16 February."

Family tensions and escalating incidents

The police said in its statement that interviews conducted with Uvaraja had indicated that he had "tensions with his family".

"We have informed his parents and brothers (the involved parties) that the following will be disclosed, and they have expressed their understanding of the release of the information," it said.

On 13 July, the police received multiple calls for help at Uvaraja's parents' residence. Upon arrival, officers found him engaged in a dispute with his family over financial matters. Additionally, he had allegedly assaulted his brother.

As a result, the police initiated investigations against him for the offences of voluntarily causing hurt and intentional harassment.

The situation escalated as the sergeant's mother lodged a police report against Uvaraja the following day, expressing fear for her safety. Police called Uvaraja's sister-in-law, reporting that he was outside her house. However, he left the area after the police arrived.

The police expressed gratitude to the late officer and his family for his service of over 10 years, and assured the family of their "fullest assistance" during this time.

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