I don't see that as counterintuitive. People wouldn't call for or desire for more police so they could have more encounters with more courtesy or more respect —

I don't see that as counterintuitive. People wouldn't call for or desire for more police so they could have more encounters with more courtesy or more respect — they'd want more police because they feel it increases their level of safety and the level of safety of the community. A LEO can be incredibly discourteous to you while still keeping you safe, and you might reasonably accept the former to gain a greater sense of the latter.