If police 'fail' to enforce the law, democracy fails, National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval said on Thursday.

He was addressing a conference of young superintendents of police from across the country.

'Law making is the most sacrosanct job in democracy. You (police personnel) are enforcers of that law. If you fail, democracy fails,' Doval said at an event organised by the Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD), a police think-tank under the Union home ministry.

In a democracy, the NSA said, it is extremely important to be totally dedicated to the law. 'You should be doing things fairly and objectively and it is also important that you are seen as credible,' Doval said.

It is also important that 'we are able to create the right perception (of police among the masses)', he said.

This should be done because perception provides confidence to the people and that enhances trust that makes people psychologically more secure, Doval said.