It is a common thread to bash competition shooters because it is assumed that we will somehow lack that magical ingredient of "mind set".
Okay... What about a comp shooter, who practices his butt off, who also happens to have the proper mindset? Hence the Olympic swimmer line.
I think Joe and Zak nailed it. It is easier to bash competition shooters than it is to become as good as they are. If you can't play the game, malign the game.
I'm not bashing cops. Some of the best local shooters we have are cops. (Sheriffs deputies mostly). More power to them. I've been beaten by CoreyACP more times than I can count. However most of the cops I've seen come and and compete shoot one match, lose badly, and then never come back. Certainly part of it is scheduling, or lack of down time, or money, but that applies to those of us in civillian vocations as well. Heck, that is why most of the best shooters I know are young, single or at least don't have kids, and make good money.
It isn't just cops vs. comp either. I work with Army SF people a lot. (God bless them, great guys) and I work with a lot of the hard core "tactical" crowd. But there is often an attitude amongst those folks that comp guys are just gamers who just don't have that magic "mind set". I'm willing to wager that there are just as many gamers with the "mind set" as there are in any other gun toting group. But surprisingly, when I get the Army guys out to a 3gun, they have a blast, and often comment how it is awesome practice. Go figure.