By that reasoning, you're rationalizing this behavior from LE. Park the car. Turn off the car. Are all heavy objects lying at rest now lethal weapons requiring that LE treat the humans within them as criminals?
I never said he shouldn't have argued, but his mannerism was not combative. He made it clear he did not feel safe. Any attempt to undo a seatbelt might've been seen as "reaching for a weapon," and we'd be talking about a dead LT, not one with pepper spray burns on his face.
His Feelings be damned.
Obey the lawful orders. Work out details and their resoning later. At night in the street with stressed out cops is NOT the place to start arguing about how good an attorney you are.
Hell, Our commanding general, told us at MIOBC and MICCC breifings that if you are stopped/confronted by cops outside Ft. Huachuca, you better pretend it is her and her SGM giving the orders and give them all due respect. If you get arrested, she'd send the SGM to get you out and work it out in court later. Cant remeber the BGs name, but she was pretty cool. SGM was a hardass though.
I’ll bet 100% of Freepers would have complied with the police orders yet they are siding with a AA LT trying to score money in a law suit.