In some states there are many police force (state, university, city, county, town). Every one is armed to the teeth. Mental and physical standards for police are abysmal in the USA. Don't ever try to make a complaint against the police in your local town or they'll start to intimidate you. Police don't have an external and independent investigative procedure. It's all rigged.

Police are often the revenue generators for individual towns. That's inherently wrong.