C. Pugliese,
George Will is sort of half on to something (for the wrong reasons, no doubt). We on the left have mostly talked about policing as a contest with the idea of police power on one side and non-criminal-justice social services on the other. I think there is an ignored crisis and that's the crisis of poor policing. As police departments have demanded more power they have delivered less service (the NYPD a possible exception). They have become more military but not more modern and have really failed to do such things as increase crime solution rates, track felons with outstanding warrants and increase the flow of information between police and the public. Most police departments now have assault weapons and military training but have let such basics as communications equipment languish. Communication problems on 9/11 are well known and there are countless other incidents - a couple years ago Seattle police got into a shootout WITH EACH OTHER because they did not use the same radio frequency during a chase of a stolen police car.
Cops have become glorified security guards in many instances and those who want to make a positive impact find they can't. It's a shame and a class issue, really, because it's working people who suffer most.
peace,
boddi