Whatever the guy was/is, the attack is cheap and the irony is that for all we know the Sheriff using him as a scapegoat might be the same sort of coward....
I've seen this asserted repeatedly. Nonsense. That was the man's DUTY. He was armed in a gun-free zone to do his damn duty. He failed his duty just as if a soldier in a "hot" zone recoiled and hid behind a stone and let his brothers do the dirty work. Very simple here: they take the job, obligation and salary - do your work.
Very simple to those of us faced or not faced with a 'real situation'. I don't get paid and am not armed to be someone's security detail. If I was and recoiled then I failed my duty. End of story.