Wow. What TVLand community do YOU live in?
I live in the suburbs a mogopolis. If I 'get to know' a cop it is because we somehow became acquaintances outside his work. If anyone has developed a personal relationship with their local police force it is usually because they have been arrested a few times.
I am not saying it is a bad idea, but frankly it has never even occured to me to call up the local Constabulary and have a 'get to know you' meeting. They have about 500-750,000 people in their precinct and I think you would be looked on oddly.
Now if you invite them out to the Homeowners association meetings, they are glad to do so, but you will only meet the brass who goes to those meetings. The COP on the street is never a familiar face and I have lived in the same house for 9 years.
Protect and to serve? Afraid that went out with Adam 12. How wonderfully naive. More like to Serve and to Serve; warrants & traffic tickets.