“The police enforce the law. That power brings great responsibility. The British way is for that power to be exercised through policing by consent. Policing by consent is even more important in the context of Britain’s diverse society. August’s riots underlined the importance of building and keeping trust in policing.  During the riots, we saw how much communities rely on the police.  As people came together to help in the clear up, we saw that active consent and public participation help the police restore and then maintain law and order. To fight crime successfully, the law needs to be applied even-handedly and with real understanding of the needs of all our communities.  Equality – always important – is particularly vital for policing.”

Full press release

Home Office, 12th September 2011

Source: www.homeoffice,gov.uk