I know of DOT workers squished on the road as they were doing an essential road job on the side of a 55mph zone [by flag runners] - autos are also deadly weapons, but no hazard benies or hero badges for working a ft or 2 away from the speedway.  
You might be surprised at how "un-noble" some LEOs are on occasion.  These officers weren't responding to an emergency, nor there to save anybody's life, nor walking into gunfire.  Just responding to a report of "brandishing", because it was for a LEO and against someone on AST's 'hostile' list.  I've seen pretty far-fetched ideas by AST of "brandishing" as threat WHEN a LEO is involved.  And I've seen much worse threats ignored by AST when it was a child, or other unarmed "civilian" threatened. Forget the "quaking in boots" bs; no rural 'civie' Depends on AST.
You, and Dermot on this occasion, are addressing a highly romanticized fiction that I have rarely seen in a career of experience and work [in the field] with LEOs, including AST.