OTOH, if he wasn’t cop and if some drunk followed him and tried to run him and his wife down, and he defended himself with a legally carried handgun, what sort of bail would you set?
For one, I've seen no evidence that anyone tried to run down anyone else. Secondly, bail should be set for the relative seriousness of the crime accused. A felony that could land you in jail for 9 years should demand a hefty bond. Joe Six Pack would have to tie up $75,000 or more of their money and then have to come up with money to pay an attorney. Since he was released with no bail, he can forego that burden and it is a perk that no average citizen would be afforded.