You are under pressure. The police are saying that they "can't protect the city" if you discipline them for violence. They are probably saying there will be overwhelming numbers of lawsuits by officers that could bankrupt the city if you try to take away any of their power and immunity. You are afraid.
The story of Solomon and the baby is relevant. Two women were arguing over a baby and each said it was hers. Solomon offered to cut the baby in half so each would win. Only the true mother of the child refused, saying the other woman could have the child. The false mother would have let the child be killed rather than give it up.
You are faced with a similar situation. I learned a long time ago that prideful, hateful and dishonest people are hard to fight because they will do ANYTHING to win, whereas a good person is only willing to do what is right and decent to win, or will even compromise.
The police in every city and most towns of this republic seem to want to fight, literally to the death, to keep power. Only massive, almost total, civil disobedience by the populace would put the shoe on the other foot and pressure the police to compromise. That kind of massive public action is rare.