Let's not blame the liberals exclusively for "quality of life" policing. The drug war is quite popular on both sides of the aisle, and "tough on crime" is generally associated with conservatives, not liberals.
At the end of the day, it's politicians looking to seize and exercise power--of whatever party, and for whatever cause--that causes a rift between the rulers and the ruled.
Oh I agree on the larger scale, but the left owns NYC lock, stock and barrel.