The problems stem from higher up and wanting to be seen to be acting on the most politically charged subjects.
As a rule, bobbies love catching burglars (I've even seen a DI grab his kit and a plain car and go flying off to a suspicious figure in a garden one night). I have had a dog unit travel about 50 miles on blues* because we had a glimpse of a poor suffering individual who had turned to crime to make ends me- no, wait, thieving toerag.
Real victims of real crimes are getting service day after day. Not just a bobby attending, but followups from other agencies, other departments, victim support, etc, etc. But its run of the mill and doesnt make headlines.
Social media and tech as a whole has changed the face of crime. Noone really robs a bank with a gun anymore, but they'll cream thousands off bank accounts online. Unfortunately the interpretation of the existing laws means people make mountains from molehills especially when people say nasty things from behind a keyboard.
I don't doubt that there are also many people being let down, and it boils my blood when I hear of dire service. Unfortunately our system is utterly broken, crims come up with ridiculous and fanciful ways of creating "reasonable doubt" and CPS lack the guts to run with it. They're very keen on early pleas, not for justice, but to save the cost of a trial. Look at how many courts are closed and empty compared to 20 years ago.
I can't think of single decent grafting bobby who thinks dancing or wearing a politically charged hat does anything other than further undermine the authority and respect of the unfiorm. It's not a job to get social media likes. It is a job for community engagement, where you can go and speak to people, explain the job, answer their questions, put them at ease. Show them the fancy kit, let them have a photo in the van... And this shouldn't only be at high visibility events but day to day. For everyone.
*Which says a lot about the lack of specialist resources but don't get me started.