[snarf21]

I think this misses the point. Issues like this are multi-faceted. Would people rather pay higher taxes or have the police get the money from speeders and parking violators? People who live in cities must have parking rules or you are walking 4 blocks from your car to house each night.

My brother-in-law is a state police. When he was on patrol, they would get lots of calls because someone mowed across someone else's property line. Or someone stole someone else's pet rabbit. Once a mom called in and claimed that her teenage son was assaulting her. When they arrived, it turned out he just wasn't listening to her and doing chores and homework so she wanted to 'scare him straight' and have the police tell him he had to. Other ones are because some 15 year old texted nudes or posted on Instagram that they were going to 'kill' a teacher that gave them a bad grade.

He is now a detective and it is like you say above. The easy ones get solved right away after some minor investigation but there are no resources to spend weeks investigating murders with no witnesses or likely suspects.

In the end, part of it comes down to what do you want the police function to be.

[mgkimsal]

> Once a mom called in and claimed that her teenage son was assaulting her. When they arrived, it turned out he just wasn't listening to her and doing chores and homework so she wanted to 'scare him straight' and have the police tell him he had to

Wow.... I would like to see that parent charged with wasting police time.

[vkou]

> Would people rather pay higher taxes or have the police get the money from speeders and parking violators? People who live in cities must have parking rules or you are walking 4 blocks from your car to house each night.

Given that everyone[1] speeds, I think you're comparing half dozen of one to six of the other.

[1] Okay, something like 95% of the vehicles on the road, and everyone hates the other 5%.

[phil248]

It's almost like we need a separate force to deal with many of the issues you're describing. It could probably lessen the load of traditional police forces and at a reduced cost.

Plus, there may be some social benefits to having a civic response force that does not wander the streets with loaded firearms.

[justaguyhere]

someone stole someone else's pet rabbit. scare him straight

Aren't these better cases for a fine than ticketing someone for going 5mph over limit?