The institutional powers (police forces, the Police Authority, and the Home Office) are functioning in an increasingly ill-defined and uneasy relationship. Further, there is a lack of unity within the police services, and statutory police-public consultation appears not to be working. Drives for greater police centralism and increased professional efficiency, while effective against organized crime, have been relatively ineffective against other types of crime. While better police organization, training, resource deployment, and improved police-public consultation may be of some help, they will be insufficient in times of radical social/economic change unless coupled with a social strategy. To create a more effective partnership and encourage mutual accountability among police, government institutions, social agencies, and communities, more effective systems and structures must be developed. These will include strategies for sharing crime information, responsibility, and assessment of preventive policies and practices. Five references are provided.