I think Pratchett would agree with you. We don't get too many outside perspectives on Vimes since he's the POV character for most of the books he's in, but the few we get kinda imply that all his reforms are kinda just a lateral move as far as the citizens are concerned. The old guard simply shake you down for money. The "sammies" are looking for a Crime in need of Solving, and at best that's gonna waylay your day. At worst...

Plus there's the whole book where the unstated joke is that a "good cop" is paradox that cannot occur naturally.