The real problem we have are the way policing is being done in 2015. Hear me out because this is my pops theory and he's 3rd generation law enforcement, served 30 years.
In the 70s, cops were a hybrid of HS gym teacher/coach, guidance counselor/psychologist, marriage counselor and first responder (fireman/paramedic). The race riots found cops outmatched and then the drug wars of the 80s, cops were out gunned. So slowly the profession changed, first were civil service exams and a preference to vets with infantry backgrounds. Their unions won a lot of concessions in the 90s and pay increased significantly, attracting more college grads. Gone were the days where beat cops grew up in these neighborhoods and within these communities.
Pop retired in the mid 90s but was active in the union and as a mentor. Over the next 20 years, 3 serious changes happened (1) affirmative action and diversity metrics resulting in the lowering of standards, and (2) 9/11 drawing more qualified people into military service, resulting in less candidates for cops and further lowering of standards. (3) The people training as cops now are children of the age of social media, and do not have the social/personal skills cops of the past had. This has led to more assertiveness training with an emphasis on military tactics (swat...break things) as opposed to peacekeeping.
This is what we are seeing today just that the bad apples stand out much more. And as a self fulfilling prophecy, the more the public rails against the profession the more insular the thin blue line becomes. There is no simple solution except:
Detailed performance/psyche test for all cops....weed out the ranks
Political will to back them including new penalties for resisting arrest, assault of officers, etc...especially for minors to be charged as adults
Cops back in high schools...kids need constant exposure.
Centralize swat teams...they can be deployed throughout, but change the command/control structure
As a corollary, more crime favors stronger 2A (more self reliance, less dependence on cops) and big city police chiefs are huge anti-2A proponents. All cops need to sign a pledge to uphold the Constitution as a job requirement. They need better training for lawful citizen open and concealed carry.