GWB I see where your logic is going but unfortunately cops have a different standard and law they have to follow with response. Also you guys are wrong on what JR Smith did.
First off, JR SMith can be arrested for assault for what he did. You guys skipped right over that. His defense is made up of the fact the guy threw a brick threw his window and the guy would also be arrested. But he is not off the hook, he just has a defense to raise to address his charge.
Cops are held to a higher standard and if the crowd throws shit at the car and he then attempts to drive through the crowd, he is not directing his action at the brick thrower but at the crowd in general. Assume he clips 4 of the people and knocks him down, then he could be fired and charged with an assault.
This is not politics, but straightforward law. Anyone who purposely aims and drives their car through a crowd is committing a crime. The only defense would be if the crowd was swarming the car, breaking windows to drag the driver out and using weapons and the driver needed to flee . Not the case here.
So JR Smith is guilty of assault and the cop is guilty of a more serious crime. You guys are simply arguing over mitigating circumstances.