This may be an unpopular opinion but I think approaching it from the false dichotomy of either “police bad” or “police good” doesn’t help facilitate meaningful change. As with many issues, it’s more complicated than that.

There are lots of good people who work as police officers because they want to be good public servants. Police forces are also necessary in some regard because there is a need for physical enforcement of the law at times.

At the same time, there are many systemic issues with policing. Starting with the fact that the police routinely end up being the “catch-all” department, expected to solve a ton of problems that they are just not equipped to solve. Additionally, it’s a profession that has a perception of authority and therefore it attracts people who have no business wielding any kind of authority whatsoever; like moths to a lamp.

The biggest issue of all is that the power structure is built up in a way that often shields bad actors from justice. Not always, but often.

Some asshole who intentionally shoots a reporter on-air, in front of God and everybody, is someone who has no busines being a police officer or being allowed to ever touch a firearm again. Unfortunately, I doubt that asshole will face any serious consequences.

Fun Fact! Police forces were established in the 19th century as an alternative to the brutal method of calling in the troops and having the military deal with things as militaries are wont to do - by violence.

Strange that now RoE for national militaries are stricter than those for policing forces in some (cough cough, USA) countries.