The Singapore Police Force (SPF) said on Wednesday (June 8) that it does not penalize pregnant officers and opposes employment discrimination practices within its ranks.
It was reacting to allegations made by 32-year-old former police officer Reema Razif, who claimed in a widely shared Facebook post that she was told her performance review would be affected by her pregnancy and that she was instructed to take on projects while on maternity leave.
The police added in a statement, "The SPF does not penalize pregnant officers and instead provides alternate work arrangements to ensure their well-being."
"During Reema's four pregnancies between 2016 and 2021, she was assigned desk-bound light duty assignments. Reema was not required to work throughout her compensated maternity leave"
"The SPF takes a firm stance against discrimination in the workplace. It is possible for SPF personnel to lodge complaints regarding discriminatory workplace practices with their unit commander, the Police Headquarters (HQ), or the Ministry Headquarters, and such concerns are taken seriously," it stated.
Ms. Reema, who joined the SPF in 2011 as a corporal and has four children, resigned on May 2 from her position as sergeant.
She noted in a Facebook post on Tuesday, June 7 that the work was her life for 11 years and that she gave it her all, adding that she had no regrets "since I enjoyed every moment"
She added: "Being informed that my performance rating dropped 'because you were pregnant? what' and being instructed to 'take on some projects during your maternity leave' did not resonate with me."
Ms. Reema, 32, told The Straits Times in 2015 that she had been promoted to sergeant once in her career. She began to wonder why so many juniors were easily promoted.
In 2019, her yearly performance grade went from a B to a C, which she thought was not commensurate with the effort she had put out.
She told ST on June 8: "When I questioned my supervisor why, she stated it was because I was pregnant."
Ms. Reema stated, "During Covid-19, I was pregnant and working on the front lines, yet nobody noticed."
Ms. Reema, who has a four-year-old son and three daughters between the ages of one and five, confessed that whenever she was pregnant, she was pulled from her patrol responsibilities and assigned office jobs, such as staffing the armoury counter.
The police stated in their statement that Reema obtained a performance grade comparable to that of many of her Police Land Division colleagues when she was in service.
In April 2020, Ms. Reema posted about her police job on social media, according to the police report. As public sector regulations prohibit officers from commenting on agency-related matters without authorization, her supervisor advised her for failing to get approval, but she was not punished for the incident.
The police stated that Reema resigned from the SPF on May 2 for personal reasons.
"The SPF creates progressive and equitable environments for our employees. Many of our female officers thrive in their careers while juggling family obligations" it noted.
We appreciate Reema's efforts to the SPF and wish her well in her future endeavors.
Ms. Reema, a stay-at-home mother who cares for her children, told ST: "I have no idea what I'll do, but working is a need, not a choice. We must fund their education and pay our housekeeper, and I cannot put this on my husband's shoulders alone."
Her spouse is a shift-working public servant.
She longed for greater acknowledgment for pregnant employees and added: "Many ladies with comparable circumstances reached out to me after I shared my story online. I wish to increase workplace knowledge and help women."
She stated that she does not feel that the treatment of pregnant police officers is a common issue, but emphasized that she was speaking from personal experience.
"I have no regrets about working in the police force. It was my passion, and I enjoyed assisting others" she stated, " And I never felt that I should not serve due to my pregnancy".
Source: ST
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