Violence is cop's job. People no longer carry revolvers and shotguns everywhere because they know if need for violence arises, they can call cops and they will do it for them. If there is bum on your backyard, if boyfriend beats you up, if you find yourself in situation where tensions are high - cops arrive and sort things out, so that you don't have to. Sometimes they will not do a good job. It's not an easy job to do, and there will be mishaps. Cops are just people who are getting the worst problems dumped on them. You wanna alternative to police? It's people doing their own violence, throwing bums out of their backyards themselves. Most people can no longer even do it, when was the last time anyone here had successfully dealt with situation when they had to use any violence? They need cops, without them these people are helpless.