Where does it ever indicate that the officer was ever “threatened”?
Well, the peasant wasn't lying on his belly, with his hands cuffed behind his back, bleeding out, and Officer Friendly wasn't standing on the back of his head to force a little pavement ingestion.
So, you can see how the officer might have felt threatened.
He might have even "feared for his life!"
And "worried about going home safe!".
It's all good. The peasant is safely planted.