Barack Obama has praised Dallas police for their "incredibly hard work" at a memorial service for five white officers gunned down by a black army veteran.

In a move aimed at reducing simmering racial tensions following the killing of two black civilians at the hands of white police officers in separate incidents last week, the US President said police deserved respect, not scorn.

Mr Obama has faced criticism from some quarters of the police who blame him in part for the apparent escalation in racial violence, and say he has not been supportive enough of law enforcement.

Four days ago America's largest police union called on the Justice Department to treat the killing of the five Dallas officers as a hate crime, which typically carries a stronger sentence.

Image: Tributes to the five police officers killed in Dallas during a protest

Micah Johnson, a 25-year-old army veteran who served a tour in Afghanistan, was killed by a police remote-controlled bomb on Friday after telling a police negotiator that he was upset at white people and wanted to kill them - especially white police officers.


Addressing the service at the Morton H Meyerson Symphony Centre, which was also attended by former president George W Bush, Mr Obama praised the police for their professionalism, bravery and "incredible restraint when bullets start flying".

He added: "We know that the overwhelming majority of police officers do an incredibly hard and dangerous job fairly and professionally. They are deserving of our respect and not our scorn.

"And when anyone, no matter how good their intentions may be, paints all police as biased or bigoted, we undermine those officers we depend on for our safety."

Bush Pays Tribute To Shot Officers

Addressing Dallas officers directly, he said: "We mourn fewer people today because of your brave actions."

Despite the killings last week, Mr Obama moved to reassure the American people that the country is not as divided as it seems. Mr Obama travelled with Republican Senator Ted Cruz and House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters: "At a time when our country is feeling so divided I think it is important that the country's leadership come together across party lines, despite significant differences to emphasise our shared desire to unify the country."