At the risk of having lots of angry Americans jumping on me, could this be due to the american psyche seeing uniformed people like firemen, policemen and army members, basically people who serve their country, as semi-heroes?
A-HAhahahaha!

No insult to any police board members, but the public generally does not see police in the same light as firemen and soldiers who are usually always deeply respected. Police are not. Probably because they don't often save your life; they fine you and a lot of them do stuff like this.

CR