text: Further, the idea they are employed to "protect" was disproven a few years back when the supreme court stated they are not obligated to protect the public. maybe that is why we don't see that phrase, "to protect", on many patrol cars across the country anymore. they are employed to "Enforce the Law", thus why they call themselves "LEO's", Law Enforcement Officers. they are there to solely enforce the rule of law and in many cases it isn't even law, but rather some local code or regulation. they do this in many cases through the threat of imprisonment and or violence, they are there to impose a fine to fund their salaries and the local municipalities budgets, not to protect you or me from harm. how many times have the cops actually stopped a crime before it occurred? They are there after the fact more often than not.