Their first job is to stop killers and robbers, not combat nuisance offense and social ills. Everyone wants to point the finger at the Jefferson County Sheriffs departments' cowardice and blame them. But who turned our police into cowards. How did we do that. First by making almost every thing that you can imagine a real crime, not just an offense.
Police deal with almost exclusively helpless and pitiful people.
Twenty or thirty years ago these people would have been offenders against the peace, now the police view them as the main criminal threat. Second by questioning even the most responsible use of power and force. No cop can draw his gun without wondering if his actions might land him in prison. We are a nation of Monday morning quarterbacks. Just ask the four cops who chased down Rodney King.