David Cameron: Police got tactics wrong at beginning of riots
David Cameron, prime minister, praises 'bravery' of police but criticises their tactics at the start of the riots:
"In recent days individual police officers have shown incredible bravery and have worked in some cases around the clock without a break.
"They deserve our support and our thanks.
"But what became increasingly clear earlier this week was that there were simply far too few police were deployed onto the streets. And the tactics they were using weren't working.
"Police chiefs have been frank with me about why this happened.
"Initially the police treated the situation too much as a public order issue – rather than essentially one of crime.
The truth is that the police have been facing a new and unique challenge with different people doing the same thing – basically looting – in different places all at the same time."
