Just like that excellent Yes Minister episode about hospitals - I imagine they have more then enough internal busywork so they have no time for their customers. Which the older am I the more this seems true.

Anecdotal evidence but they spend a significant amount of time at the burger joint next to my place, while blocking the bicycle lane instead of parking legally.

Donuts don't just eat themselves.

administration; paperwork et al. Don't you just like the modern technical bureaucratic apparatus?

If they're not responding to either violent crimes or nonviolent crimes, what are they doing all day?

According to a police administrator I once knew, filling out all the endless paperwork that makes the studies possible so people can complain about what little time cops spend fighting crime.