What we see here are police forces that are better armored, but doesn't necessarily have more deadly force. Having a more armored police force would allow them to respond to immediate threats (such as front line assaults from protesters) without feeling the need to assault back. Think of it this way. If you're kicking the police and they feel nothing, they're more likely to show constraint in kicking your ass than if they felt something. This full armor allows the police force to feel safe, therefore will less likely to result in police violence.
