"To serve and PROTECT"
Federal, State, and local municipalities have a duty to ensure citizens are safe. A public in fear and without safety isn't a prosperous one. A crime ridden town isn't a place many people will want to live. Economy will suffer, property values will be low which means services and infrastructure will be lacking.
I see a good amount of police presence where I live. Guess what? Not a lot of crime in this area. Doesn't mean something crazy can happen here, but there's a feeling of safety that keeps people here and appeals to people wanting to move here. And there's also a reason why there's a stepped up police presence around the Idaho campus...to protect the public from this monster and give peace of mind.
But I do agree, we do have a responsibility in all this. Lock your doors, install cameras, install motion sensor lights, get a firearm (if that's your thing), lock your bedroom door, install an alarm system.
Long winded reply I know, but LE does have a responsibility as a tax funded entity to ensure their communities are protected and safe.