And I was one of the most vocal proponents for getting it removed from the program. The old "pyramid" is horrible. However, FLETC has certainly not said, "Get rid of all your less then lethal options. They are for women who are afraid of guns. If you think there is a problem, just whip out your gat and start flap-blasting until all the scumbags are dead.". I cannot fathom how a single less-lethal alternative (pepper spray) constitutes "too many choices" for an armed private citizen. I have never heard or read of an instant where an armed citizen was killed because they chose to use pepper spray (or something similar) instead of a firearm in their possession. Has it happened? Perhaps, but it did not get much attention if it did. A person who is truly interested in defending their life on a daily basis should take advantage of every tool at their disposal, whether they carry a badge or not. I believe close-mindedness when it comes to tactics and survival are far more likely to "get somebody killed" than carrying pepper-spray. Do I carry pepper spray every day (on or off duty)? No. But I am not going to belittle and insult somebody who chooses to exercise that option.
You and I (and most any LEO), rightly or wrongly, have an added level of legal protection afforded by our badge. If we end up clearing leather and then put it away, the odds are that we are not going to be criminally charged for it (barring some actual criminal intent or malfeasance). In many states, private citizens don't have that luxury. If they show a gun, it had better be the absolute late resort or else they will end up facing criminal charges. They can't just "pull it", stand down the threat, and then walk away like nothing happened. For the average private citizen, drawing a firearm is a very, very different experience than it is for a LEO. Look back at your career and consider how many times you have drawn your weapon or even held somebody at gunpoint. If you have been in this game a while, it is probably more times than you cna remember. Now, ask a well-trained, armed, survival conscious private citizen the same question. Even if he lives in the roughest of neighborhoods, the answer is probably "never". A different world.
Just my opinion,
Gonzo