This is very much what authoritarian leaders do to take people's attention off the self-interested behavior of the leaders.  
Start talking about how crime-ridden our streets are, and no one will notice that one of Trump's first actions was to stop an insurance premium cut for FHA-backed mortgages.  Of course, his millionaire friends have no need for FHA-backed mortgages.  
Few will notice that he is putting off the govt's push to challenge a Texas voter ID law that, arguably, intentionally discriminates against Latino and African-American voters and to delay an initial hearing on a deal to address systemic problems in  the Baltimore Police Dept.  and to get rid of the White House website pages about climate change, LGBT issues, civil rights, and health care.  
Why would help for police have to come at the cost of diminishing attention to civil rights and LGBT issues and climate change and health care?