Growing up in Malaysia, one does not often hear good things about the police. I personally, had not heard anyone praise the police they have engaged with yet. And it is fair to say we each can tell you a fair few 'stories' of our own or someone we know/love/trust had bad experience with the police.
My littlest son Lu went back to Malaysia and was just being his usual self. He loves police. He says Hello to every police he sees. He was literally looking forward to checkpoints, as I explained that there would be the police from this country, and then the police from that country, then there you would be in your destination country!
One day, outside of KLCC/Petronas Twin Tower, he said Hi! enthusiastically to the police officers at the entrance. I think they were directing the cars in front of a commercial building entrance. I cannot explain why do they do security guards' job, but they do.
One of them gave Lu a Hi. Immediately after, they treated him as if non-existing. To Malaysians, this is not uncommon. Not a lot of Malaysian kids say Hello to police officers to begin with. Friendly police officers in the heat and humid afternoon?? What am I dreaming?
Anyway, Lu comforted himself in some way. He must have said something to me and himself to the meaning of "I said Hello to them, I have good manner." And I replied, yes you are so friendly, Lu.
I did not think much about the common, usual, unimpressed police officers.
-- Singaporean police (show)
Days later, I was with my parents in my childhood home. We Johorians, at least my family anyway, often have the Singaporean free-to-air tv channel on. For some weird reasons, Mandarin and English channels were both showing crime/police/investigation-related series. Then, I had an a-ha moment (sudden insight). Malaysian police have not been making any propaganda/publicity or fictional feel-good show! Even if they were famously not efficient, they didn't even bother to try to pretend they were not on tv!
You know, Singaporean tv makes you feel safe! The police are so efficient, earnest, detailed, technologically advanced, resourceful ... you name it!
-- Melbourne neighbourhood police station
I have such privilege today to walk my son to and fro school (child-care). And I am reminded that we actually pass by the police station every school day. Our neighbourhood station is diagonally opposite his school. The most exciting thing to see on his way to school is the police station! We walked today and we were at the back door of the police station. We were lucky and the gate was open. And they were cleaners cleaning the police cars/vans... Lu shouted Hello!! from across the street. The cleaners didn't hear, with the noise of shushing water and vacuum machine. I had to explain to Lu they could not hear you. Lu said, when I finish school, they can hear me 
There we have the police in the three countries/places for Lu-the-police-admirer for now.
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