A senior British officer has defended the tactics used against protestors during the G20 summit in London earlier this month in which a man died and several groups accused police of being heavy-handed.
Ken Jones, president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO), told BBC radio the crowd-control methods used had avoided more aggressive techniques used elsewhere.
"We need to make sure we don't condemn the many for the problems created by a few," he said.
He said people should realise how well demonstrations were policed in Britain.
"I can't find any other country that doesn't use water cannon, CS gas, rubber bullets. Our approach is proportionate and, in fact, has delivered on many other occasions," he said.
The Independent Police Complaints Commission is investigating three cases of alleged police violence at the G20 protests - including one against a woman and one against a man who later collapsed and died.
The watchdog's head, Nick Hardwick, called on yesterday for a national debate over how police maintain public order.
Mr Hardwick said the allegations of excessive force by police, and claims that some officers failed to display identification numbers correctly, raised questions about whether police were crossing the line between being public servants or masters.
Mr Jones said he was at the protests himself and had not seen any officer disguise himself by hiding his ID number.
"If they did, they will be found and will be dealt with," he said.
London's police chief, Paul Stephenson, has asked the Chief Inspector of Constabulary to conduct a review of public order police tactics in the light of the G20 demonstrations.
Mr Jones said ACPO welcomed the review but cautioned it should not be over-influenced by recent events.
"We have seen a lack of perspective and a lack of objectivity, and as a consequence of that, (police) reputation has been affected," he said.
"In the next few weeks we need to approach this a bit more coolly ... and look down the right end of the telescope and look at the thing in the round."
Paul McKeever, chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said any review into the future of policing should be done as part of an examination of the criminal justice system as a whole.
He said attacks on the police by the media, politicians and the public in recent weeks were damaging the reputation and morale of many police officers and called for it to end.
"The policing of protests in the UK is the most successful and public engaging in the world, using the least aggressive tactics and methods available to ensure the right to a democratic, peaceful demonstration is given," he said.
"If these methods are deemed inappropriate or unsuitable then it must be the policy on trial and not the police."
Reuters