"What will a warning shot do that the sight of a badge and uniform will not?" Maybe an LEO would feel differently, but I don't see a warning shot as something that will change a BG's mind about complying. They already know that LEOs are armed. Having to prove the gun is loaded seems pretty stupid,
It seems kind of stupid, but "smart" people aren't the ones the cops are holding at gunpoint, now are they??
Part of the issue is that criminals, don't always co-operate. And, even though a gun is pointed at them, some refuse to believe they will be shot, until, unless something ELSE convinces them.
One sees it often in today's popular fiction onscreen, where the (usually) bad guy points a gun, and orders people to do things, and they meekly obey, UNTIL he tells them to do something they refuse to do, and THEN, (and only then) does the bad guy rack the slide, or cock the hammer, in what, no doubt, directors consider dramatic fashion, to show that they are "serious".
Sound stupid? it is. But real life can be equally stupid.
Some decades ago, back when the police were still using DA revolvers, Florida began having an increase in accidental police shootings. It seems that a certain portion of the thuggery was displaying their
machismo (bravdo? what ever the proper word is), by refusing to obey police commands, even at gun point, UNTIL the officer cocked his weapon, proving he was "serious". A cocked DA revolver increased the likelihood of an accidental discharge.
One major dept (Miami, if I remember right) had their revolvers converted to DA only, as a result of this.
As a citizen facing a threat, what do you do if the bad guy doesn't believe you will actually shoot? At that point, many would think a warning shot is the right thing to do, to convince your attacker that you will shoot. And, it does this, but it doesn't convince the truly determined that you will shoot THEM. It MIGHT, but there's no counting on that, and its quite possible that your will have to shoot them, DESPITE a warning shot.