One thing people need to remember is that in France, UK, Australia, Canada etc guns are illegal. That makes a big difference since police know that provided they don't invade someone's personal space they aren't at risk of dying. And as such they are able to resolve issues without needing to act with a defensive posture.

It may seem arbitrary but you will never think of a policeman as an ordinary citizen if they aren't willing to engage with you in a normal manner.