Local cops moonlight as security for school board meetings. The cost is not on the police budget that way. The selection of off duty cops is for maximum retrobution. In a local community, the cops when back on duty will sit at your house, pull over your spouse and children, take your dog from your yard, and in one case I know of, arrest you for drunk driving while you are on your own couch watching TV in your living room.
Police forces today are not citizen oriented. They are primarily oriented to a totalitarian part of government with above ordinary workers pay. When I see police and fireman and other public law officials having like large/huge parades for service persons killed in action I might be argued into changing my mind.