The optics of wading in with nightsticks are bad, but would have been the appropriate and safe option. Then Rodney King - and the phenomenon of media collusion in peddling sneakily edited video to demonize cops - came along.
If cops could go back to smacking someone across the legs for being an ass, things would de-escalate much quicker.
The devil protects his minions. The devil is running our country these days and the unrighteous are uplifted and worshipped.
I agree they should have used nightsticks since the guy was only wielding a belt.