Is it just me or do police seem like more of a janitorail crew than crime stoppers? Rarely ever do they "prevent" crime, they just come by and clean up the mess that is left behind. If someone kills someone else, and then the police catch him, they didn't prevent the death of the other person at all. That doesn't seem like prevention to me.
In societies such as North Korea, where there is little of value, besides food (such as it is), worth stealing, the primary function of the police is to arrest those expressing opinions critical of the ruling elite.
I'm not saying it's the only reason, but it is, as far as I can see, the most importnat one. Seeing it from a capitalist perspective (it's nice to be able to see things from different perspectives), the wealthy deserve to be protected more then a regular working class because he has actually done something with his life.
That's not a capitalist perspective, that's a communist demonized-capitalist perspective. "Capitalists" aren't all rich bank owners and global conglomerate stockholders. Abdul who runs the gas station on the corner and is struggling to put his five kids through college is a capitalist, he wants to be protected by the police if someone holds up his store. Old man Wiley who fought in WW2 and spent most of his life working in the Chrysler plant before he retired is a capitalist, and he wants to be protected by police if he is mugged in the park. Jimmy Joe, who invented a successful new fishing lure and can finally pay off his house is a capitalist, and he wants the police to protect him if his house is burglarised.
As someone who is on track to become a police officer, let me just state that the main duty of a police officer is "To Serve and Protect" which is what they do. "Crime Prevention" is what happens when they make themselves visible either walking or patroling in the cruisers. Cops can't be everywhere at the same time so obviously crimes will occur and it does seem like the just clean up the mess. But who knows how many crimes they may have prevented by just making themselves visible.
Have you ever read Philip K Dick's The Minority Report ? Besides, when you arrest a murderer/con-artist/rapist/thief you prevent them from committing their crimes again.
On top of that every time they take somebody to jail that is one more criminal off the street. Do enough of this and even though it wont eliminate it all together, it will still make a difference.
Oh yes, it is really hard to sit around eating donuts... J/K, but I really have no respect for police in general. You're right, I couldn't do "what they do" either, seeing as what they do is enable our government to pull off scams such as 9/11 and the Kennedy assassination. Not to mention the bullshit "war on drugs" which the government profits greatly from. Sorry, but they don't make me feel any safer, not any more than the government does. I can't tell you how many times (at least 7) I was "stopped" by a retarded police when I was biking home from work this summer. Once I was with a friend and he asked us how old we were, I'm 23 and my friend is 24 and the oinker was like "Really!? I thought you guys looked like teens...". WTF? One time the police said it is the law to have a light on your bike at night, ummm...yeah, does anyone actually obey that!? Dumbass...I was on the sidewalk anyways, leave me alone. He proceeded to ask me where I came from and where I was headed! Screw off pig! Sorry, but I've never committed a real crime in my life. Maybe if our tax dollars went to catching real criminals, I wouldn't have a problem with it, but much of the time the police are the criminals! Pigs will never get my respect. Fuck 'em.
Granted, their job is necessary and very difficult. But even in liberal, modern societies like the United States, there are at least three or four incompetent or corrupt cops for every good cop. Yes, they protect people from murderers, thieves, and rapists...but they also "protect" people from drugs, political demonstrations, and traffic speeders.
