Gentlemen... ask a police officer how many times he has had to shoot someone. You'll find that the answer is usually zero. Occasionally, you'll find one who has had the unfortunately pleasure of opening fire in the line of duty. If you go to a bad neighborhood, you may find an officer whose had to do it more than once, but they're the exception.
Around here, I don't think any police officer in my county has had to open fire in the last decade. So with your guys logic, they shouldn't carry guns. You'd ask them, "Does that one situation that hypothetically might happen warrant carry a firearm? You're a wacker, dude." They still carry their weapons because of a little thing called the "precautionary principle", which states that you don't wait for the emergency before you start preparing.
I've never use the term "combat gear". I have combat training (close quarters, firearms, hand-to-hand, building searches, raids, vehicle extractions, and so on), but the extent of my "combat gear" is pepper spray (which, as I've stated before, 16 year old girls carry in their purses). That hardly makes up a "combat kit".
Personally, I think if everyone carried OC (not just first responders), the world would be a much safer place. It's a highly effective less-than-lethal weapon, very low risk, and easy to use. This is why even kids can use it.
The handcuffs can be seen as a bit much, I acknowledge that. I've been carrying them for years, and have just made a habit out of it. I've never used them before, but it's really not a big deal to pack them in a pouch just so they're available if the day comes I need them.
No disrespect to you guys, but I couldn't give a rat's ass about post count. If a EMT-B has a thousand posts, I respect the EMT-P with a dozen posts as the guy having more training. For the exception of the ER Doctor, I am just as high, if not higher, than most of you on the respect scale. So to you, respect or disgrace.
You guys all seem like cool people. But you can't argue with results. And I bring the results.