Jerome - I think your statement, "Police have absolutely no duty to protect you from anything" is so sad yet true. Even most American born citizens don't understand that one until after they've had the chance to test it. So sad, but so true. Police are not there to protect anyone, they are only there to catch presumed bad guys AFTER they presumably done something bad. And then, the crime has to be "bad enough" for them to bother.
Some one came into our garage and RIPPED the battery out of our lawn tractor, stole a battery for a welder, and a cordless drill. The police said, "Were the doors open?" What's it matter? They came on MY property and stole MY property! Apparently, if your property is easily accessable to thieves, and they didn't steal over $500 worth, the police really don't care. Yet, if my husband had caught them and beaten them to a pulp or shot them he'd probably be in jail. Worst part, we know who PROBABLY took it. The police said they'd go "talk" to those guys. All that will do is MAYBE scare them from doing it again. They won't bother trying to recover anything. I once witnessed someone stealing from my neighbor, knew who it was and took a picture. The police TRIED to contact him but that was the extent of it. Again, less than $500 worth of property was stolen.
Moral of the story, even if you have proof who the bad guys are, the police won't do anything unless it's a "horrible enough" crime. There is no protection, and the police take the justice system into their own hands deciding what's worth their time and what isn't. Apparently free coffee at the local gas station is far more important.
Sigh... my son wants to be an officer.