Not really sure if this is the place to discuss such topics, but both cases are close to my heart, given my best friend was killed in action 4 years ago, by friendly fire! and my sister and her husband are both police officers.
To some extent, when you join the forces, especially the armed forces and you train for combat, an option of death, should you be deployed is always on your mind, as a true and real risk.
Obviously there are tragic incidents which have occurred away from the battlefield where service men, and women have passed, these are tragic for everyone involved, and their families and friends, I still think of him every single day.
On the other side, an operational police officer, also carries risks, but on a different level, the risk of murder, death, fatally wounded is lower, but doesn't make it any less dangerous in it's own right.
The event which took place, only 5 miles from my house was awful, and the way they were brought into that scenario is something you'll NEVER plan for, no matter how much training you do, how much protection you wear (and still try and police and be active) wouldn't have been enough.
To compare the two, is ridiculous, and outright stupid, in my opinion.
My only wish here, is that we impose the maximum sentence possible under current laws to ensure this criminal never smells the outside air again, and lives his live like a rabbit in a box, even that, for me, is too good.
I don't agree with the death penalty, as for me, one wrong decision is one too many, we don't have an adequate justice system to be able to dictate who lives and who dies.
As that brings the argument of mental stability at the times of crimes, just because a board of doctors say he's sane, is he? Is that enough reason to kill a man?
I don't believe so, I believe this drives the wrong behaviors within society.
One thing I will say, is may those perished, rest in peace, and those effected, my thoughts are with them.
Death is a horrible thing, premeditated or not, and until you go through it personally and closest to you, you don't have a true appreciation for life.