I feel like there is way less discrepancy between the publicly stated goal of the military and their actual actions than with the police. I've never liked the military, when I was young I even wanted to be a girl to avoid the French mandatory military service; So when I learned the US went to war to secure oil assets rather than spread freedom and democracy, it wasn't too much of a surprise.

However, the police is systematically in contact with the public and has a clearly stated public service mission. "To protect and serve" is written on all Los Angeles, CA police patrol cars, in New York City, NY it is "Courtesy, Professionalism, Respect"; But since video cameras have become ubiquitous among the population through smartphones, they have time and again shown that they aren't living by these words, far from it.

It's been an especially harrowing discovery to learn how they treat minorities, black, poor, latinx, LGBT people and women. I've been mostly shielded from police harassment and violence because I'm a white dude but even I have a personal story of unwarranted condescension from police officers.