Do I know it is dementia, someone tripping, someone just being an ass or out to inflict harm upon me and others? All I have is the initial call and I have to asses the situation when I get there. Again am I supposed to be superman and recognize and know every detail when I roll up on a call? If you think this is logical you have been watching too much television.
If you are a cop and you let someone you don’t know and who has not been searched with their hand in their pocket within 20 ft. of you through out your career a good percentage of the time you will probably walk away, but eventually someone is going to put a blade in you or shoot you at point blank range.
If I want to do a strong armed robbery of you and you don’t know me from adam’s cat and you let me get within 10 feet of you with a good knife I will be on you before you draw your gun and you are at my mercy 99 times out of 100. If you want to take that chance with your life go for it. But you don’t have the right to demand every one else does, including police officers.
Nobody made you be a cop. It shouldn’t be a license to kill everyone in sight just to make your job stress-free.