Most cops couldn't hit a bull in the ass with a bass fiddle much less kill a Siberian tiger with their normal duty weapon. I expect that they took a healthy regard for the tiger's ability to render their body armor and "Fritz" helmets into so much tissue paper. Since we don't know if they had long guns available I simply posited a scenario in which it was possible to kill a tiger with a handgun.
As for "heroic" cops, my three nephews (cops one and all) tell me that heroic cops tend to become dead cops at an alarming rate. Smart cops shoot from cover and take no unnecessary chances and thus get to retire and become old cops.
Regards,
GtG
PS One of my nephews has been everything from a town constable to a state trooper, prison guard, and a Marine. I trust his judgment on "Heroics".
And shooting a loose big cat with a tranquilizer gun (which takes time to take effect, I will remind you) would be a very big unnecessary risk. Four cops, even with handguns, I'm sure could take down a cat with lethal force.