I think that's stretching it a bit. Put yourself in the shoes of a cop sometime. If he (or she) has a reason to suspect you might be up to something, it's because he's observed some behavior or noticed something on or about your person that raises his suspicions. At that point he knows nothing about you, but his job and his life depend on him being alert and observant and not relaxing.handog wrote:Because you and I, as members of the general public are presumed scum bag criminals until proven otherwise. You could be an escaped convict after all. The LEO has a badge and can draw on you at will. He's the good guy. Why should you feel threatened if one of Austin's finest has his hand on his holstered hand gun while questioning you.
He doesn't have to assume the worst about you, but he'd better not assume the best either. There are many dead cops that could testify to the danger of assuming the best about any person they stop. You might be a law abiding citizen, but you might also be a killer with a loaded gun looking for a cop to kill. So he has to use his skills to determine which category you are in before he can either exclude you from further interrogation or make an arrest based on probable cause.
I seriously doubt that is the goal of most cops.handog wrote:That isn't the only way they use intimidation. Ever have your constitutional rights suspended at a DUI road block. Basically pulled over without probable cause. The police have great latitude in what they can do, once they have you stopped and under their control. Like the hand on gun, the desired effect is to establish a sense of fear and intimidation among the population.