Bill Bratton (left) is credited for cutting crime after the 1992 LA riots About 1,600 people have been arrested after days of riots, arson and looting.
Mr Bratton said arrest was appropriate for the most violent, but the issue was one for society as a whole.
"You can't arrest your way out of the problem," he told US broadcaster, ABC.
"Arrest is certainly appropriate for the most violent, the incorrigible, but so much of it can be addressed in other ways and it's not just a police issue, it is in fact a societal issue.
"It's not easy, it's hard work, but it can be done and in many respects you have to argue that it must be done because you just can't continue the way you've been going."
He went on: "I think part of what the government is going to do is to take a look at what worked and what didn't work during the course of the last week.
"My assignment is to focus more on the issues of the American experience dealing with gangs and what we may be able to share with them that might help them to prevent similar activities in the future."
Over the past two decades, Mr Bratton has gained a reputation for introducing bold measures to reduce crime, particularly in LA after riots in 1992.
"Our success in Los Angeles in reducing gang violence significantly was a co-ordination of very assertive tough police tactics but also a lot of community outreach, a lot of creative, innovative programmes such as a significant use of gang interventionists."
Downing Street said Mr Bratton would not be a long-term, paid consultant and would not be formally appointed to any UK police force.
The move comes after violence started in London last weekend and soon spread to Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Nottingham.
City neighbourhoods were left smouldering, with shops vandalised and looted. The deaths of five people have been linked to the riots.
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