of course not in case of an invading army. Since we have had none except in the early 1800s that means the police are and have been the primary for public safety.
I think we might both win this argument, depending on context. The primary responsibility of government is to defend its citizens. The land you own isn’t yours unless you or your government can defend it, whether it be against criminals or foreign governments. You can occasionally defend your own property against criminals without even needing the police. Foreign armies, not really.