Hi Theland,
You and I are much of a same age, so you remember Bobbies on bikes, respect for the police, which in those days, was the best force in the world.
Sadly, all that has gone, they walk about with their coats undone, sometimes no hats, (in my area anyway), and if they do make an appearance, (our Police station closed down a couple of years ago), its just a fleeting visit in cars.
I watched at our local railway station a bloke getting arrested, car at the side, two policemen, the chap getting arrested offered no resistance, they got him on the ground, banged his head on the pavement, and arrested him with the words, 'your nicked', thought I was watching Starsky and Hutch.
My car was broken into, a lot of damage done, and all I got was a crime number. nothing else was done.
Yes, they can still do a good job, but in the main, i'm afraid i've lost most of the respect I used to have for them, and I would take a bet I'm not alone.