In New Zealand they keep police numbers low deliberately. It keeps "crime rates" low because people stop reporting crimes. I'd be inclined to blame low numbers

In New Zealand they keep police numbers low deliberately. It keeps "crime rates" low because people stop reporting crimes. I'd be inclined to blame low numbers of police rather than police apathy. But I haven't actually seen a policeman on the street in my country - outside protests - for at least a decade. The fact that you actually found one outside in the wild is remarkable to me.