Yes Foxy - Many things get thrown under the "post-9/11" clause.
That is why at one airport my shoes have to be OUTSIDE the bin to go through the x-ray, but at other airports they can be in the SAME bin as my jacket (e.g.)

I don't have a background in LE, but IN THIS CASE (and I know you didn't single this case out in your post), if the police had been given a description of a car speeding away full of armed bank robbers or known drug suspects - they would have stopped that car and acted in the same manner until they found out that the description of the car was wrong
I am sure if the police stopped such a suspected vehicle (which this plane was at the time - wrongfully - but not their fault), I'm pretty sure that they would not be approaching the car with smiles and a warm welcome.
I'm also wondering if something similar were to happen to ME, if I would get a personal phone call from the Chief of Police profusely apologizing? It is ok though - I'd really rather not find out!!

There are current, and former, LEO on this board. Maybe they will chime in and give us their opinion of how the police handled this particular case.

USMCFLYR