Coloradan. Your issue boils down to the citizenry being (not everyone obviously) stupid, not police misleading them. In my view, anyone that has any interest in protecting themselves, family, or property should own a gun. Anyone that doesn't know that (i.e. relying on the police to completely prevent crime)is not only a fool, but also in a small way responsible.
It's both, really. Many sheeple really don't have any clue about their rights and responsibilities, I'll freely admit. (Many of them vote socialist/'rat, because it "sounds good," never mind the century of disaster and hundreds of millions of deaths that socialism has caused.) But, I will also firmly state that many police departments willingly misrepresent their duties to the public, and not only make no effort to correct these misperceptions when given a public chance to do so, but even worse use these opportunities to continue the misrepresentations.
In my view, anyone that has any interest in protecting themselves, family, or property should own a gun. Anyone that doesn't know that (i.e. relying on the police to completely prevent crime)is not only a fool, but also in a small way responsible.
I am in complete agreement on both counts. I would add, though, that your last statement contains a kernel of truth that you probably didn't intend: "anyone [who] doesn't know that is ... in a small way responsible." That means someone or something else also shares responsibility. I agree. The police share some, and the mass media, which has a golden, read-by-millions-every-day opportunity to disseminate factual information, also knowingly propagates the myth of police protection by giving space to the statements, and by having credulous reporters accept such statements without challenge, explanation, or clarification.