"snitching" in Double Deuce

Why don't the residents of Double Deuce, the housing project in Robert Parker's Spenser novel Double Deuce, just call the police instead of hiring detectives to come and clean it up. Of course, I know what people will say: They're afraid for their well-being because they assume the gang's reach goes so far that even an "anonymous" tip will be traced back to them; the police won't do anything anyway; etc. I do understand those things, but it's too bad that we've things get this far out of hand. We think of "government" as something that rules us, when in fact, it's supposed to be something that we make work for us in the ways we want. We pay for it, after all. The police should be a tool for the people to use, not a part of what oppresses us, so we should demand that they protect us. Now, if people actually feel some empathy for those in our community who bring violence and addiction to their families and friends, well, that's another story. But let's not condemn crimes and do nothing about them.