It’s satisfying to know that my efforts at crime scenes ultimately contribute to solving crimes and serving justice!
As a FM, he provides daily forensic support to cases of interest, reviews forensic work done by his team, and provides advice to the Investigation Officers on forensic matters. But he still makes time to be on the ground. “Beyond my supervisory role as a Forensic Manager, when necessary, I will also personally respond to and conduct forensic processing of crime scenes,” he shares.
One memorable case involved the pilfering of five restaurants’ cash registers. “This was a case where the perpetrator targeted multiple open-concept restaurants in a large shopping mall. These restaurants were easily accessible, as there were no doors to secure the restaurant or even restrict access. The perpetrator’s aim appeared to be to steal cash from the restaurants, as he primarily targeted cash registers and tip boxes,” he recounted.
“When I learnt that the perpetrator was believed to have struck multiple restaurants, it was clear to me that the perpetrator(s) would not stop if they were not apprehended. Furthermore, the case was reported to the Police just before lunchtime. With multiple crime scenes across multiple restaurants, I had to work under immense time pressure to quickly complete forensic processing and minimise the disruption caused to the restaurants’ lunchtime operations. It was a race against time to identify and secure forensic evidence that could lead to the identification of the perpetrator(s).”
To catch the thief, Chee Wei processed the scene thoroughly and recovered a total of 12 exhibits and 18 touch DNA swabs. His sound assessment of the situation and meticulous processing eventually led to the recovery of a fingerprint on the metallic cover that was used to cover the cash register. This crucial evidence eventually led to the arrest of the perpetrator. Such successful investigations are a tremendous source of satisfaction for him, he shares,
“I find joy in my work and in helping others. It’s satisfying to know that my efforts at crime scenes ultimately contribute to solving crimes and serving justice!”
Chee Wei embodies the public service spirit and is not shy to go the extra mile when the duty calls for it. For example, after attending to a police incident, he and his team member spotted a man lying on the ground in the rain. Out of concern, he immediately came forward to render assistance to check on the man. It was later established that the man had injured his leg and was unable to move. Chee Wei immediately held on to his head to stabilise his body and minimise his movement so as not to aggravate the injury until the paramedics arrived. His selfless deed won the appreciation from the person’s next of kin.
Chee Wei is also determined to help his team develop their skills as forensic investigators. Other than reviewing the forensic work delivered by his officers, he also assesses their thought processes and provides constructive feedback to help them become better scene investigators. In addition, he has also kept himself abreast with developments in the field and upskilled himself. He is adaptable to technological changes and has advocated to his peers on the need to stay relevant with the times.
Chee Wei has consistently given his best support to the Home Team, regardless of the roles he is performing. Hence, along with the Distinguished Star Service Award, he had also been awarded the Efficiency Medal for the Ministry of Home Affairs National Day Investiture Awards 2023.