I think the community policing thing is the way to go, I would honestly love it, but that is a long long way off, and it all stems from the conflict of interest that exists in the police force at a fundamental level. I honestly don't trust police, and want nothing to do with them. Like others, I know if I'm courteous and polite, play their game, and will most likely walk away in the best shape possible. If I had a friend doing something stupid, I wish if I could refer him to the police, and know that maybe he'd get a scare, but he wouldn't be fucked for life for getting a record over a joint. However, after myself and friends having dealt with several cops, I just go out of my way to avoid them now. Its a no win situation. The likely and best case scenario is that nothing bad happens. The worst case, is you get fucked for something trumped up you didn't do. At best you break ever, worst case you get fucked. A loser's game in the long run.
The other thing is a lot of the stuff that's illegal I disagree with. A lot of drug laws for instance, and speeding. The 401 in Ontario, the limit is 100, people do 140. This guy got ticketed for speeding, so he blocked off traffic by following the speed limit. (interesting read)
http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/678348/posts but got ticketed again for obstructing traffic.
Basically this creates a system where the law becomes arbitrary. Which defeats the whole purpose of laws in the first place. Particularly with things like speeding and substance abuse, many scientists say that speed is less of a factor than things like distraction (texting is more dangerous than being drunk, yet the penalties don't reflect that). Take Germany where some high ways have no limits. Or that weed is less dangerous than alcohol. Look no further to the failed US war on drugs, or addiction rates that are steady regardless of consequences or spending. Like so many other things the solution lay in education, yet governments, addicted to the cash these fines provide, adopt a religion like blindness towards science and the evidence.
Therein lay the problem with police. They are there allegedly 'to protect and serve the public' but on the other hand, they need to serve their masters, gov't officials and DAs trying to get convictions. This creates a huge conflict of interest. Are you here to help and serve me as per your mantra? Or are you trying to showoff for your puppeteers by fucking me by hook or crook? Therein lay my mistrust. The kid getting into drugs. Do you try and set him right and act as a role model? Teach him a better way? Or do you please your bosses by fucking him with the long dick of the law. Giving him a criminal record, heaps of lawyer fees, maybe jail time, hopefully he gets kicked out of school, effectively ensuring he can never have a normal successful life.