It's easy to criticize... Put yourself in their shoes on that night n you would be fleeing the scene as well...
Even HK police will do the same if they encounter such incident.... There was once a gang fight in a pub that involve about 80 person. 2 patrol officers arrived at the scene first but dun even dare to move in as they knew they were out-numbered n have to call for reinforcement until the PTU n OCTB arrives before they moved in....
Police are being paid to do a job n not paid to be a HERO!!!
1) 2 Patrol Officers vs 80 gangsters with parangs is different from 10 Policemen vs 400 drunk and unarmed Ah Neh on their off day, only a small minority were throwing missiles, and considering the inebriated state, you can hardly expect to throw accurately. Please use reasonable examples, can 2 policemen form a line and charge rioters, NO, can 10 policemen form a line and charge rioters, YES.
2) We cannot ascertain for sure whether anybody put in their shoes as policemen, with a duty to protect law and order will run. What we can confirm is the police ran. Who cannot run? My grandmother also can run lei. So what makes my grandmother any different from armed and trained professional policemen, since she can do the same thing they did.
3) Nobody ask them to be hero, but if your job requires you to be a hero at that point of time, the question is do your shirk from your duty? By running and surrendering the scene for more than an hour, there was a lapse of police control in the whole area for that entire duration. There was absolute no responsibility for any ongoing on the scene, rescue and police vehicles were burnt, if any innocent bystanders were nearby, they were at the mob's mercy. To put it simply, zheng hu lang bo zhou kang, they run away then just stand from afar and eye power.
They had one simple job, which they failed miserably in doing, and we have dumb Singaporeans chipping in with countless excuses for their inability to do their job.
Imagine this scenario ah, 10 of our SAF's infantry defending an area in Singapore, they met with 400 Malaysian unarmed soldiers pelting them with stones. Upon seeing the large numbers, they retreated to a safe distance with nary a shot and called for backup, abandoning their 3 tonners and tanks. The Malaysian soldiers gleefully burned their tanks and 3 tonners, in fact there were a few infantry and tank driver hiding in one of the tanks, but the Malaysian soldiers were nice enough to ask them to leave. 1 hour later, they commandos finally arrived and chased the Malaysian soldiers away. They government declared this a great victory which showed maximum restraint. Do you applaud them as heroes just for being there (and doing nothing) or do you label them cowards?
Wake up!