Speaking from experience, sad though that experience is, there are times when the sight of a guy in a blue uniform, wearing those thick-soled black shoes, is about the most welcome sight possible.
I "distrust" the police to the extent that I think cops stick together against the rest of us, but that's a cultural thing that can be changed and is changing. "Us" vs "them" is fading, so I hear, in the attitudes admired in police academies. One important change should be made ASAP, that is that all police forces be subject to civilian scrutiny and answerable to a civilian board when issues arise with police behavior/misbehavior. The police should not investigate themselves.
I am as one with feredir that the police should not choose which laws to enforce, that they have taken on the task of enforcing the laws as they stand and it is up to the rest of us, C_G, to have the laws changed. It is utterly unfair and unreasonable to put that burden onto the police, and moreover betrays a very strange mindset --- since no one would shriek louder than you if they decided to do that very thing and it was YOUR ox being gored. Of course, if you and yours decide to toddle off to the local gang boss in search of justice, that's up to you, but it puts you out there on a limb, beyond the pale, at the mercy of men who have absolutely NO let or hindrance on their behavior, with no one to answer to.
Rather than expect a police officer to stand scratching his head, thinking, "Jeez, should I enforce this silly law or not?" I think you should, like, get up from the computer and get involved in politics with the aim of getting rid of all the laws YOU think are unreasonable.
Somehow my path in life has crossed with the police path more times than I like and with one or two exceptions, the police were courteous, calm, professional, reliable, restrained, and necessary.
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Living on Earth is expensive,
but it does include a free trip
around the sun every year.