Americans would be safer, happier, and more prosperous if tomorrow we had half the number of police we have today. The various misguided "entrepreneurial" policies like forfeiture and federal drug war grants have swelled the numbers beyond what the populace can tolerate. We are a fairly violent nation, when compared to Europe (though not when compared to other colonized nations, like nearly everywhere in the western hemisphere), but for the most part violence levels are due to environmental and demographic factors, not police activity. The only exception, the Drug War, is a case in which increased police activity increases violence. So, far fewer police, please.