Why do police do their job?

This is something that came to mind today on my way home from work. It was raining today, so I cancelled all the outdoors things that I was supposed to do at work.

Over the years I have had several jobs, and at all of them I have found ways of getting away with doing nothing from time to time, be it trips to the water cooler and toilet, or just plain hiding away some place to have a rest.

If I had a job as a police officer, and I saw a guy speeding or smoking a joint, I would not do anything about it. If my boss was there I would pull the guy over and do what I’m paid to do, but with no boss about, why do it.

I see police out in cars doing their job, and I wonder what motivates them to do it when their boss is in some office far away.

I think this is probably why I dislike cops so much, the lack of a boss on the scene means he pulled you over because he personally wanted to pull you over, after all, he could have chose not to.

So, why do police officers actually do their job?