Challenge imprecise language when you hear or read it. Demand examples and supporting evidence. My friends in local law enforcement fear overreacting to a confrontation and facing prosecution for excessive force. They also know that that fear may cause hesitation which could result in injury or death to themselves or others. They walk this razor's edge because we demand restraint and sound judgment in every split-second decision.
Accessibility enables accountability.
In this regard, there's a significant difference between local and federal law enforcement. Local officers are generally held directly accountable for their actions. The feds, however, operate behind an enormous shield. Average citizens have much less access to directly challenge abuses by federal officers in an anonymous bureaucracy. For example, the President and Attorney General issued denials and consider the Waco matter closed.