You've stated your background and experience in LE many times. It's telling what you've notably chosen not to address in my comments, which is reality regarding the risk inherent in the involvement of LE, something I've heard openly acknowledged by many officers over the years.
I chose not to dwell on the
possible negative outcomes from LE involvement because I think those pale in comparison to the negative consequences of equating radically different events -- like snotty, racist princess outbursts and murders.
We actually agree more than we disagree. We both agree that racism is wrong and also harmful to society and individuals in ANY form or degree.
I also think your point about potential legal/financial implications of police encounters is absolutely correct. (It's actually much more plausible that the ideas others have expressed of cops approaching with guns blazing, lol. Some folks watch too much TV during pandemics!)
In a situation like the Central Park case, if either had been arrested, there would have been serious consequences -- in addition to whatever the courts did. At a minimum, there would have been embarrassment and some level of expense. There might have been employment consequences. There might have been an extended amount of time lost due to legal proceedings. In very rare cases, there might have been injuries.
But those potential negatives almost never occur. Not never. Almost never.
Disputes like the one in Central Park are more dangerous for officers than they are for members of the public. Emotions are high, there are many unknowns, and situations can be very fluid. Two parties can be at each others throats one minute, and joining to physically attack the officers the next. If the officers fail to defuse the situation, it escalates, things get much more difficult, and fewer options are available.
But what really
does happen, in real life, in the real world, is that officers use their training, involved parties calm down, and the situation is resolved -- without violence, without financial loss, and without any police action beyond calmly talking the parties through it. Arrests are very rare in these situations, with the exception of domestic violence disputes where there is a statutory requirement to arrest in some situations. Use of any force in these situations is extremely rare -- force is only used when the parties attack each other, or attack the officers.