1. I don't think the helicopter was in the air just for him. However, it was there to help find him if he ran.
2. On the 3 cars thing. She thought he was on PCP. He wasn't responding to her verbal commands. What I've heard from someone connected to the PD is she was trained to observe until she got backup to help subdue him. That's why you need 3 cars. 5 people physically subduing him is safer for him than 2 with guns pulled. An overmatched person with a gun is more likely to get scared and shoot, like she did. The exact words told to me was "Once you believe someone is on PCP, you're trained to subdue them and get them to a safe environment. They won't respond to what you're telling them to do, so you can't expect them to. You don't just pull out your gun and treat them like a regular, hostile suspect. If they aren't an immediate threat on their own, you wait for backup and get them detained safely".
3. I wouldn't be surprised if the one helicopter cop is back on Sunday morning church traffic and parking tickets. Her husband has to go.
4. They said she reported his window was down. They have to come out right away with the officer's tale of events. If they don't come out with her story, then it looks like they're covering up. Once they got all the facts they could, they turned them over to the DA. The department stopped trying to protect her almost immediately. The DA didn't come up with "she let her emotions escalate it" on their own. That came from PD management. The victim's family thanked the chief for being transparent and honest with their assessment with the DA. It sounds like the charges came with an endorsement of the department. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think that happens within a week in most places in the south/southish.
I'm not saying their aren't racist in the PD. I'm saying everyone is calling for police cultural change, and they are trying. You aren't going to purge the old culture and racists quickly. The ingrained racists aren't changing. It takes time for them to die off. I do give this police administration credit for trying to start that change at the top and working on turning the department with the new/younger officers. You say the department needs help. I agree, but I think they are actively trying to get it and help themselves.