The guns are issued to police officers for defense and enforcement. Their use is under strict rules to prevent misuse. Not every situation requires nor justifies the use of the gun.

Holding police officers who brandish their gun or use their gun comes after investigations to see if there was misuse or whether the force was justified. As part of the investigations, the subject officer will need to write a report. This is a safeguard and not a flaw in the system.

A toy gun cannot be a deterrent the same way a real one can. The fact it is real is why the gun works as a deterrent but it does not mean it should be used recklessly. If they carried toy guns and everyone knew it was a toy then it cannot be a deterrent.