The average airline pilot is smarter and more capable than the average cop...if they can weapons, no reason we can't.
With all the civil liability exposure; I think you'd be surprised at the level of sophistication of most front line cops nowadays. In my home state almost all have BS degrees and a very high percentage have masters. It gives them up to a 20% higher pay to have the higher education. As a result, over the past generation they have become some of the best educated workforce.
Old stereotypes due hard.