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Well, if you followed my previous calculations, it costs NYC about $100,000 to solve each solved crime (actually that's probably low, since it assumes a low proportion of burglary in the mix). In part that's due to the low solution rate, in part to high costs.

In your town, a cop costs about half what one does in NYC. But what is the solution rate in your town? In some small towns it is pretty good. The cops solved a case of stolen bark mulch where I live (the costs are still out of whack since we have too many cops). But in some small towns, cops are too busy collecting revenue to deal with "civilians'" minor problems like burglaries.

How effective are your town's cops? How many crimes? How many solved? What is the cost per solved crime? THOSE are the difficult numbers.

Your stuck on the issues of cost....not that it is not important but how does it relate to your generalization that cops are no good. You make it sound so clinical when you talk about this subject and that is unfair because cops are human too.

If cost is your issue then that's fine but if you want to really get to the heart of the way our local government is spending our money then you must include other organizations as well. Schools for one.....our kids are not being taught like they should be.....this of course leaves kids open to all kinds of misfortune and that includes crimes. A large part of the crimes today are committed by children and who as a whole suffers for this....society. Kids today have no concept of accountability and I blame that fact squarely on the parents.

Starting to get off track here......getting back to police officers.....do yourself a huge favor and get involved in your local police department. Learn exactly what really goes on behind the scenes.....I can almost guarantee that you will gain a better understanding and a new found respect as well.