In Japan, they have this thing called a police box, or Koban, where the police are like friendly neighborhood helpers or guides; finding lost stuff, walking school children accross the street, and promoting community outreach. And I think it helps create a sense of respect between police and the community they serve. In America, at least where I live, no one sees a police, until something happens, and they randomly show up.
We do also need higher standards for Police. A person trained to practice and employ the law has less mandated training than a hair dresser in California. That is crazy. This is not a trade job. It's a profession, and it should be treated as such.