What, a butter knife? A steak knife? A potato peeler? Puhleez. There were four cops and one old kook. Cry me a river. I am sure the cops were shaking in their boots.
I think you are over-reacting.
They used what they had reason to believe was non-lethal force.
It is possible that other tactics might have been better—but that depends on the exact situation on the ground.