It's not fear that cops want from the populace, it is respect. If you have respect for the police then you will do what he asks of you. When there is no respect then they have to do what is needed to maintain order and do their jobs. The fear people should feel is the fear of going to jail not the cop's gun. Their gun is a last resort and is to be used when all else fails. In my time as a cop I never had occasion to use my weapon but I was taught that if it was ever fired we were not to wound the target, we were taught to hit center mass for a kill shot. Certainly there might be a few cops who would use their guns as a first resort but those a very small minority and they usually don't last long in a department.