
Quoting
cdwjava
I wasn't there, so no, it's NOT clear what happened during the traffic stop. The OP admits he got a bit lippy, so that almost certainly contributed to what transpired. And while handcuffing someone during a traffic stop is not common, it is also not unheard of. I have done it myself a few times. An officer (particularly if he has no cover officer) has a legal right to see to his own safety and often this means disabling a potential threat by handcuffing and even detaining in a locked patrol vehicle.
What you see as "aggressive" is just as easily seen as a proactive action to safeguard both the officer and the person being contacted.
Ultimately, "the war," as you call it, will be lost by the public who will have to suffer greater encroachment by the criminal element as law enforcement continues to get neutered and laws are enacted to decriminalize crime and minimize penalties for criminal activity. The police (those officers who remain in the career ... and those few that consider entering it) will continue to get paid even as they are encouraged to remain in their cars and sit on their hands by those very vocal few without a clue who advocate for the evisceration of public safety.