> compared to say, stopping the local drug-gangs from shoting their brains out

I'm guessing people have that impression from TV, but it doesn't seem to match reality.

> the data suggests that officers spend relatively little time responding to major violent crimes: 4%, 3.7% and 4.1% in the three locations, respectively.

- https://www.freethink.com/society/how-police-spend-their-tim...

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ryandrake 3 hours ago | parent [-]

Which raises the obvious question: If they're not responding to either violent crimes or nonviolent crimes, what are they doing all day?

	▲	jq-r an hour ago \| parent \| next [-]
		Just like that excellent Yes Minister episode about hospitals - I imagine they have more then enough internal busywork so they have no time for their customers. Which the older am I the more this seems true.
	▲	reaperducer 3 hours ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		If they're not responding to either violent crimes or nonviolent crimes, what are they doing all day? According to a police administrator I once knew, filling out all the endless paperwork that makes the studies possible so people can complain about what little time cops spend fighting crime.