What is a likely result if police let laws go unenforced?

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Legitimacy and trust in policing hinge on consistent enforcement of laws. When laws aren’t enforced, people perceive the police as unfair or ineffective, which erodes confidence in their ability to protect the community. That loss of trust makes residents less willing to cooperate, report crimes, or follow guidance, and it undermines overall public safety. None of the other outcomes—traffic situations improving, crime disappearing, or rising community support—fit that dynamic; the natural result of unenforced laws is a decline in trust in the police.