[cafard]

> "I bet this situation would be improved with a police officer"

As when the guy held me up at gunpoint?

> "I want to go talk to that police officer"

When something went off in the alley--maybe just a cherry bomb, maybe a transformer.

> "That police officer handled this situation optimally"

When they burst in the door of a burning house down the block to see whether anyone was in it, perhaps. Not optimally as in "better than the fire department", but pretty good for guys without hoses and ladders.

[mrguyorama]

>As when the guy held me up at gunpoint?

If you are a bystander when police open fire, you are just as likely to be injured

>When they burst in the door of a burning house down the block to see whether anyone was in it

Do they actually do that? My understanding of police training is : "Rule #1, don't get hurt"

[cafard]

> Do they actually do that?

For some value of they, yes. I was there, and I saw it.

> My understanding of police training is : "Rule #1, don't get hurt"

I have never gone through it. I imagine that there is a rule that says "don't be stupid", which covers many points such as "no, the siren doesn't magically stop cross traffic", and "bullet-proof vests are only so useful".

However, if your premium is on not getting hurt, there are many occupations with smaller risk.