It has been my experience that those who don't trust the police tend to be criminals. Among the people I come in contact with on a regular basis, (professional, educated adults), there is no distrust.

When I was in college, I had some pothead friends. I didn't care that they smoked weed, but they were always scared of the police. They were scared because they didn't want to get busted. So it was their lifestyle that caused them to not like cops.

All I'm saying is that usually when someone doesn't want police around, chances are it's because they are doing something illegal. Does that describe the "general public" that you hang around with?