They are however a part of a severely broken system.

Oh we agree on that. Any system that doesn't enforce systemic protections for vulnerable people is broken.

Individual cops can be great.

And even more rarely, police departments. There's one really great one (alright they ticket a little too much according to the locals, but tbh I'm a fan of their ticketing because there were some SERIOUSLY unsafe things going on on the Country Roads) that's very rural, It's a "township" PD with 3 officers -- two of which are part time (so it's common there is literally no police officer in the building, and you'll get a county PD instead of a township PD if you call 911).

They're amazing. They know every vulnerable person in the area, they regularly check on them, etc. (I still have family in the area) But this is a township of a few hundred people where everyone knows everyone, the police officers are from the area, and so they're personally invested.

I also lived in a suburban area (new build, no active political scene or social ties), and that was hell. Cops would regularly harass kids for riding bikes without helmets (and I mean harass, not remind), stroll through every parking lot for tag violations, and just generally be very macho 'challenge me' types.