1) Yes. 2) Maybe never, maybe to save a kid who fell through broken ice. 3) Yes. I'll point out that they all had guns but I can assure you that many of them had never fired them in the line of duty. That's more rare than most people think. Should they stop carrying guns? That's where the "need" logic leads.
No one had ropes at the Air Florida crash except the rescue choppers. Park police, State police, Pentagon Protective Services, etc. Not one stinkin' rope among them. Even a dinky, not very strong poly rope should be in the kit of anyone who is likely to be a first responder. No citizen should have to risk his bloody life because not one of the dozens of cops around had a damn rope in the spacious trunks of their huge Crown Vics.
-- Bobby G.