Keeping 16,000 police on the streets of London is an unsustainable strategy. Government should give serious consideration to turning ‘good gangs’ into voluntary neighborhood officers under police supervision

The mobilization of thousands of extra police into London appears to have been successful in preventing further rioting in disorder. However, Nima Khorrami Assl argues that keeping such vast numbers of police on the ground is not sustainable for much longer, especially in light of the government’s intended cuts to police. The government should give serious thought into co-opting those already defending their local communities into voluntary neighbourhood corps under the direct supervision of the police.