Police workers and volunteers not normally tasked with facing violent crowds have spoken of the "make-do spirit" of those involved in tackling the riots in Croydon on Monday night.
Sergeant Sarah Davies, whose regular role is to be part of the safer neighbourhood team in Coulsdon West, was drafted in to the town centre at the first sign of trouble.
She said: "I think it's worth noting that we had lots of level two officers there, but we also had officers like myself and the specials who were dressed as I am today.
"And that was all our protection against all the missiles that were thrown.
"But people just got on with it. It was the make-do spirit of just having to cope with the situation that you're in. Everybody pulled out all of the stops to come out in to the town centre."
David Long, 29, a manager at a local leisure facility, said there was no distinction between his role as a Special Constable and those of regular police officers in the eyes of the rioters.
He said: "We can't have a brick thrown and say 'Sorry, don't throw it at me, I don't get paid'. It's no different.
"I just had my baton, my common sense, my uniform and my training, and the instructions from senior officers."
Local officer, Detective Constable Kris Blamires, who usually works in plain clothes in CID, also went beyond the call of duty to support his fellow officers.
He said: "All I had was my old riot kit which I just put straight over my CID suit and went out with that. I've never had to do that ever before."
