I said it poorly reflected on their professionalism. The thing is, however, that cops responding to emergencies seldom have the proper equipment or training to neutralize an out of control person - all they carry is guns. On the other hand, I heard a serious claim by a knowledgeable source that non-lethal means are not very effective when the subject is out of control and under the influence of substances that neutralize the feeling of pain (e.g. cocaine). The source provided several examples of such situations - one involved a perp who slashed the throats of his girlfirend and her child before he was felled by multiple gun shots by the police.
I guess it is a combination of poor police training and the violent nature of this society that makes such incidents happen.
Wojtek