Police Pal storybook for preschoolers: where to find the book

SPF and the SGSecure Programme Office launched a Police Pal storybook for preschoolers on 5 October 2026, and the practical answer for a parent of a four- to six-year-old is straightforward: borrow the series from a public library, ask your child's preschool about its copy, or attend a free Police Pal storytelling session at a library. The new book, Run, Hide And Tell: An SGSecure Story, uses animal characters to teach three simple things: stay alert, move away from danger, and seek help from a trusted adult. Calling the police is not on your child's list. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

The gap between the announcement and your bookshelf is worth naming early. The official Singapore Police Force pages describe how the wider Police Pal series reaches families — library loan, distribution through preschool chains, requests through a neighbourhood police centre — but the pages we checked set out no purchase or download step for this newest instalment. So the useful question is not where to buy it. It is which confirmed route gets a book into your home, and which parts of Run, Hide and Tell belong to your four-year-old and which belong to you. ^{[2] [3]}

What launched on 5 October, and who made it

The launch took place at MOE Kindergarten @ West Spring in Bukit Panjang, reported by The Straits Times, which photographed Second Minister for Home Affairs Sim Ann reading the Police Pal storybook to a class of Kindergarten 2 pupils before she joined over 200 pre-schoolers, teachers and police officers in emergency-themed activities and colouring sessions. The book was produced jointly by the Singapore Police Force and the SGSecure Programme Office, and is the final instalment in the Police Pal series rolled out in 2024 for children aged four to six. ^[1]

Sim Ann said the storybook was meant to show children how to respond when they see something or someone suspicious, and that even at a young age children can learn steps like Run, Hide and Tell. She also said parents could reinforce these lessons at home, so that preparedness becomes a habit from a young age. That last request is the part you can act on this week. The same coverage placed the launch in a dated security context, reporting that the Internal Security Department's annual threat assessment on 10 September 2026 said ongoing Middle East conflicts were contributing to the high terrorism threat Singapore faces. ^[1]

Where the Police Pal series actually reaches families

Police Pal is the Singapore Police Force's flagship programme for preschool and primary school children on crime prevention, developed from the Young Police Buddy initiative by Bedok Police Division in 2019. In June 2024, SPF said the storybooks would be distributed to major preschool chains — MOE kindergartens, PCF Sparkletots preschools and NTUC My First Skool centres — by the end of October 2024, that educators could contact their nearest Neighbourhood Police Centre to request a copy for their preschool, and that the books would also be available for loan from public libraries. ^{[4] [3]}

That release also said Community Policing Unit officers would use the storybooks during preschool visits from July 2024, and that SPF was collaborating with the National Library Board on free Police Pal@Libraries storytelling sessions, where children receive activity booklets they are encouraged to complete with a parent or caregiver. SPF's published schedule lists sessions from September to December 2026 for a recommended age of four to six, including Sengkang Library on 15 October 2026 and Punggol Library on 11 December 2026. SPF notes that dates, times and locations may change at short notice, so check the Police@SG app or your neighbourhood police centre's social media pages first. ^{[2] [3]}

The official wording, split by who does what

SPF's emergency preparedness sheet defines Run as moving away from danger without surrendering or negotiating, Hide as finding cover, staying out of sight, being quiet and silencing your phone, and Tell as calling 999 or, if it is not safe to talk, SMS 71999. The 999 line is for urgent need — a crime in progress, a suspect nearby, or suspicious parcels in public areas — while i-Witness is a separate, non-emergency route for information on suspicious activity. SPF's own advice for students aged 12 and under is shorter: if you are not sure what to do, talk to a trusted adult. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

One step, and it is our own suggestion: after reading the storybook, agree one response your child can repeat, such as moving away and telling the named adult, and keep any phone in adult hands. A hypothetical example: your five-year-old practises saying “tell mummy first” once, then you stop there. This is not an SPF programme, not a tested routine and no guarantee of safety. The October 2026 book teaches staying alert, moving away and telling a trusted adult; the confirmed routes are library loan, preschool distribution, a request through your nearest Neighbourhood Police Centre, and free Police Pal@Libraries sessions that SPF says may shift at short notice. ^{[1] [2] [3] [7]}

Sources

EduNanny Editorial · AI-assisted research and writing, reviewed by our automated editorial team. Sources checked 2026-10-09. Featured image: AI-generated editorial illustration.