Certis Group
Certis is a Singapore-based security and integrated services company that evolved from the Singapore Police Force's former Guard and Escort Unit.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Certis Group is a Singaporean security and integrated-services company with roots in the Guard and Escort Unit of the Singapore Police Force. The unit was created in 1958 and was separated from the police force in 1972 following a government review intended to relieve police manpower pressures and establish a specialist organisation for commercial and industrial protection. The resulting Commercial and Industrial Security Corporation, commonly known as CISCO, was constituted as a statutory board under the Commercial and Industrial Security Corporation Act. For its first several decades, CISCO was Singapore's dominant provider of private armed-security services and operated as the country's oldest Auxiliary Police Force. Its personnel protected banks, industrial sites, sensitive government-related locations, high-value assets and selected prominent residences. The organisation initially absorbed a large group of police personnel and developed its own recruitment and residential training arrangements, while retaining close operational and visual ties to the Singapore Police Force. Its work expanded beyond static guarding to include the transportation of valuables, cash replenishment for automated teller machines, alarm monitoring, event security and selected enforcement duties. From the 1980s and especially under chief executive Chan Boon Kiong from 1991, CISCO pursued broader commercial diversification. It added security systems, monitoring, consultancy, investigations, information-management and technology-related services. Its activities included traffic and parking enforcement support, disaster-recovery and document-storage facilities, digital-certification services and joint ventures in information management and overseas security. The company also supported major public events, including the 2006 International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Singapore, Marina Bay New Year celebrations, the Chingay Parade and Thaipusam processions. During the SARS outbreak, CISCO personnel assisted with the enforcement of home-quarantine measures, including visits to residences and the installation of monitoring equipment. CISCO's statutory-board status ended amid government efforts to introduce greater competition into Singapore's armed-security market. On 1 June 2005, the board was dissolved and Cisco Security Pte Ltd was incorporated as a wholly government-owned company under Temasek Holdings. The new company inherited the former board's assets, liabilities, employees and contracts, but operated under the ordinary regulatory framework applying to Auxiliary Police Forces. It was inaugurated in July 2005, renamed Certis CISCO Security Pte Ltd in 2007 and adopted the shorter Certis name in 2018. Today, Certis presents itself as a technology-enabled provider of integrated security and operational services rather than solely as a guarding company. Its capabilities include manned guarding, auxiliary policing, security operations centres, surveillance, facility management, customer-service staffing, cash and valuables logistics, investigations, training, risk consulting and digital or data-related solutions. Its Security+ model combines people, technology, intelligence, operational processes, customer service and facilities capabilities in a single service approach. A prominent example is its work at Jewel Changi Airport, where Certis provides security, facility-management and customer-facing personnel. It has also applied an integrated model to JTC Corporation's South-West Precinct. The company continues to operate in Singapore and international markets, while maintaining a visible role in the country's security infrastructure.
History
Certis traces its institutional history to the Guard and Escort Unit of the Singapore Police Force, formed in 1958. A government review led by Professor Lee Soo Ann recommended separating that unit from the police force so that a dedicated statutory organisation could recruit and train personnel specifically for armed commercial and industrial protection. In 1972, the Commercial and Industrial Security Corporation was established under dedicated legislation. Most of the unit's regular officers transferred to the new organisation, while recruitment and training were reorganised around its specialist mission. As a statutory board, CISCO became Singapore's principal commercial armed-security organisation. Its personnel guarded banks and industrial premises, protected sensitive sites and transported cash and valuables. The organisation maintained a close relationship with the Singapore Police Force: officers received substantial police-style training, and early uniforms, vehicles and insignia were deliberately similar. CISCO also developed its own training infrastructure, including a dedicated police training school and later upgraded headquarters facilities. The company gradually broadened its activities. Its services came to include alarm monitoring, electronic security, consultancy, enforcement support, information management, records storage, disaster-recovery facilities and investigations. It operated or supported traffic-related enforcement after the transition from the Area Licensing Scheme to Electronic Road Pricing, and later assisted the Traffic Police with parking enforcement. It also expanded into information management through a 1996 joint venture with Brambles Industries, creating CISCO Recall Total Information Management. A purpose-built document-storage centre opened in 1999, followed by another facility in 2003. CISCO also worked with the National Library Board on a digital-signature certification-authority venture. The organisation's public-security role remained important. It provided security for large national and international events and supported sensitive locations. After the September 11 attacks, increased security requirements contributed to additional demand. During the SARS crisis, CISCO officers assisted with home-quarantine enforcement and residential monitoring. From 2004, personnel were deployed to support security at sensitive industrial locations such as Jurong Island, and the organisation entered professional investigation services in 2005. The legal and competitive framework changed in 2005. Singapore expanded the number of organisations able to provide Auxiliary Police services, reducing CISCO's former monopoly. The CISCO Act was dissolved, and on 1 June 2005 the statutory board was corporatised as Cisco Security Pte Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Temasek Holdings. Assets, contracts, employees and liabilities were transferred to the new company to avoid operational disruption. The company no longer used the Singapore Police Force crest and introduced a more clearly differentiated corporate uniform, although some sensitive assignments retained older visual conventions. The business was renamed Certis CISCO Security Pte Ltd in 2007 and shortened its public-facing name to Certis in 2018. In the contemporary period, Certis has developed an integrated model that combines guarding and auxiliary policing with technology, surveillance, intelligence, facilities management, customer service and operational analytics. Its Security+ approach has been used at complex sites including Jewel Changi Airport and properties in JTC Corporation's South-West Precinct. Certis also introduced a K-9 unit in 2019, supported employee work-study opportunities and pursued headquarters redevelopment with Lendlease in 2022. The group remains active as a Singapore-rooted security and integrated-services provider.
- 2022
Headquarters redevelopment partnership
[1]Certis partnered with Lendlease to redevelop its Jalan Afifi headquarters.
- 2019
K-9 unit established
[1]Certis announced a K-9 unit for contracted facility-protection work.
- 2018
Certis name adopted
[1]The group adopted the shorter Certis brand name.
- 2017
New shooting range opens
[1]Certis CISCO opened a new shooting-range facility at Jalan Afifi for officer practice and training.
- 2007
Renamed Certis CISCO Security
[1]The corporatised company adopted the Certis CISCO Security name.
- 2005
Statutory board corporatised
[1]CISCO became Cisco Security Pte Ltd on 1 June, operating as a Temasek-owned company rather than a statutory board.
- 1996
CISCO Recall joint venture formed
[1]CISCO partnered with Australia's Brambles Industries to establish a records and information-management business.
- 1995
China security joint venture established
[1]CISCO formed a joint venture with Zhong-Bao Security Industry Company in China.
- 1991
Diversification programme begins
[1]Chief executive Chan Boon Kiong initiated a broad commercial transformation and expansion into multiple security disciplines.
- 1986
New headquarters opens
[1]CISCO opened headquarters at Jalan Afifi with upgraded operational facilities, including an indoor shooting range.
Products and positioning
An integrated security and operations partner combining trained personnel, auxiliary-police capabilities, technology, intelligence, facilities management and customer service. Its heritage in Singapore's public-security system supports a positioning built around operational scale, trust and protection of complex or sensitive environments.
Security services · 1972
Auxiliary Police Services
Certis's historical core is the provision of Auxiliary Police services and armed protection. Personnel may support banks, industrial sites, sensitive facilities, major events and designated protective assignments. The service combines specialist training, regulated policing powers and operational coordination with clients and public authorities.
Security logistics
Cash and Valuables Logistics
The group transports and handles cash and other high-value assets, including highly visible cash-delivery and replenishment work for automated teller machines. These operations rely on protected vehicles, trained personnel, controlled procedures and monitoring systems.
Integrated security and facilities services
Security+
Security+ is Certis's integrated service approach, bringing together human security, technology, intelligence, operational-centre capabilities, customer service and facilities expertise. It is designed for complex estates where guarding, surveillance, incident response, maintenance and visitor experience must operate as one coordinated service.
Information management · 1996
Information Management Services
Through its historical CISCO Recall activities and related capabilities, the group entered document storage, records management and information-protection services. The business included purpose-built storage facilities and disaster-recovery-related infrastructure, extending the company's security proposition from physical assets to information.
Specialist security · 2019
K-9 Security Services
Certis announced a K-9 unit in 2019 to support protection of facilities under contract. The capability supplements conventional guarding and surveillance with trained detection and patrol resources.
Marketing campaigns
- 2007Marina Bay New Year Countdown security
Singapore
CISCO supported security operations for the Marina Bay New Year countdown and continued similar support in 2008.
Outcome. CISCO maintained a role in securing the public celebration.
- 2006IMF and World Bank Meetings security
Singapore
CISCO provided security support for Singapore's hosting of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings, demonstrating its role in large-scale, high-sensitivity event protection.
Outcome. The event was completed with CISCO among the security providers supporting the national programme.
- Chingay Parade and Thaipusam security
Singapore
CISCO personnel supported security for the Chingay Parade and Thaipusam processions, two major public events requiring crowd and route-management capabilities.
Outcome. The company continued to provide event-security support for these public occasions.
- Jewel Changi Airport integrated operations
Singapore
Certis became a key security and integrated-services provider for Jewel Changi Airport, supplying security, concierge, customer-service and facilities-maintenance personnel through its Security+ approach.
Outcome. The project became a prominent example of Certis combining security and non-security frontline operations at a major mixed-use destination.
Brand decisions
2018
Adopt the Certis brandStrategyBackground
The group had expanded beyond its historical CISCO identity into technology-enabled and integrated security services.
Action taken
The company adopted Certis as its shorter group name.
Aftermath
The rebranding positioned the organisation as a broader international security and integrated-services business while retaining its historical associations.
2005
Corporatisation and opening of the armed-security marketStrategyBackground
Singapore introduced greater competition in armed security and dissolved the statutory framework that had supported CISCO's previous monopoly.
Action taken
CISCO was converted into Cisco Security Pte Ltd, a wholly government-owned Temasek subsidiary, with its assets, staff, liabilities and contracts transferred to the new company.
Aftermath
The organisation became a commercial company subject to the broader regulatory framework governing Auxiliary Police Forces and changed its uniforms and branding.
1972
Separate the Guard and Escort Unit into a statutory security corporationStrategyBackground
A government review sought to reduce manpower pressure on the Singapore Police Force and create recruitment arrangements tailored to armed commercial security.
Action taken
The Guard and Escort Unit was separated from the police force and reorganised as the Commercial and Industrial Security Corporation.
Aftermath
CISCO became Singapore's principal commercial armed-security organisation and developed into an Auxiliary Police Force.
Recent events
- 2022
Certis and Lendlease plan headquarters redevelopment[1]
M&A
Certis partnered with Lendlease on plans to redevelop its headquarters at Jalan Afifi.
- 2019
Certis launches a K-9 unit[1]
Product launch
Certis announced the creation of a K-9 capability for protection of facilities under contract.
- 2007
Company adopts the Certis CISCO name[1]
Other
Cisco Security Pte Ltd was renamed Certis CISCO Security Pte Ltd while retaining the established CISCO identity in its corporate name.
- 2005
CISCO is corporatised as Cisco Security Pte Ltd[1]
Other
The Commercial and Industrial Security Corporation statutory board was dissolved and its operations were transferred to a wholly government-owned company under Temasek Holdings.
Sources2 sources
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