SINGAPORE — They were used to handling simple disputes, such as breaking up drunken brawls at Clarke Quay, but on Dec 8, a group of Home Team officers found themselves in the thick of Singapore’s first riot in 40 years.

“The information didn’t come to us (that it was) a riot. It came in as bits and pieces, but you would (be able to) pick up that something was not right — in the sense that there was a rowdy crowd and an accident,” said assistant superintendant of police (ASP) Jonathan Tang, 29, who was a team leader at Tanglin Police Division at the time of the riot.

On Saturday, ASP Tang, four colleagues from the Singapore Police Force (SPF) and five other Home Team officers were awarded the Commendation Medal in this year’s National Day honours in recognition of the roles they played in quelling the riot.

In a media interview with ASP Tang and three of the SPF recipients, the officers said based on the initial information they received, they had not expected the situation that night to escalate into a full-scale riot.

“At that point in time, people were gathering and that was all (the information) we had,” said ASP Tang.

The police officers did not expect to arrive at a scene where a bus lay in shambles, emotions ran high among a growing alcohol-induced crowd and life-threatening projectiles were hurled in their direction.

Although the police officers barely had time to register what was happening, their training kicked in and they began to assume various roles to bring the situation under control.

Senior station inspector (2) Akhbar Ali, 44, whose vehicle was overturned by the crowd, said: “I don’t think we had any thoughts of fear, because that is our job ... We needed to look after the safety of our own officers, members of the public and even the rioters themselves.”

When asked about the public scrutiny that they faced, along with criticisms that had been levelled at the police in the aftermath of the riot, the officers said these were not uncommon in their line of work.

“I think it is nothing unusual, because a lot of what the police do is under public scrutiny,” said ASP Edwin Yong, 29.

“Ultimately, if in our hearts we know that we have done it right and to the best of our abilities, I think our conscience is clear and there is no need to be affected by it.”