A quick thought that popped into my head as I was commuting in to work this morning: I respect police officers by default. That office demands respect. I understand peoples' complaints and issues with specific officers and specific actions, and in many cases I agree. But it's a difficult job, it's an essential job, and it's not one that I'd ever want.
There have been a ton of articles about authority figures abusing their office, and I agree that there's no excuse for that. I believe that authority figures are due respect until they abuse the power of their office, at which point they lose my respect. (but not necessarily my compliance)
One of the events that shaped my opinions on this matter happened when I was in high school or college. Not sure. I was still living at home, and late one weekend night an officer knocked at my front door. He asked to speak to my mother, and they talked in private. I believe my brother had been seen with some delinquents and there was some guilt-by-association type suspicion. Nothing ever came of it and I never learned more. But I kept thinking about how difficult it must be to approach the home of a complete stranger at midnight, knock on the door, and interrogate them like that. Not every family would be as polite as mine in that situation, I'm sure. I've had little to no exposure to police in my life, but that officer was so respectful in such a potentially awkward situation that it shaped opinions that I still hold to this day.