I have thought that beat cops need to return. I have talked to some small business owners and it is rare for a police officer to stop in just to check up on things, or get to know the local community.
Incredibly important to good policing is knowing the neighborhood. No better way to do that than walking around day to day and chatting with the locals. Much the same can be said for a good office manager.
Police/Community relations used to be a big deal for all LE agencies. The idea was know your community, know the people and be more effective. If the community knows you, they will respect and support you. That seems to have gone by the wayside. Now it is us against them all the way in the minds of many on both sides.
I have for many years lived on very remote ranches on the border. Years ago Border Patrol would make it a point to stop for a few minutes- introduce themselves and ask if we had had any issues. They would leave us a business card with toll free numbers to call if we had problems. The sheriffs department, game and fish, livestock inspectors did the same, especially new people on the job. We knew who they were, they knew who we were.
That all ended many years ago. The BP actually told their new agents that most of the people that live on the border out here are “dirty” and not to interact with them. That is absolutely not true but I would think if you were interacting with people that would be the quickest way to gain information or a suspicion that something was not right with some of them.
LE agencies see “them” everywhere now. Without foot patrols, interaction with people in general- they do not see us as people but as potential threats.