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And this was not a military matter. The rules of war apply in combat. They do not apply in civilian police work. It's unfortunate that this distinction is becoming blurred as police are more and more militarized.
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I'd like to argue that this is precisely why the police are becoming more militarized. We have a ex-police officer with military training attempting to conduct asymetric warfare in California. It was combat. You have a man using military tactics and you want them to counter with police tactics. Recipe for disaster. It doesn't make sense to tell police to fight with one arm behind their backs. Don't limit their options. If military tactics work better to address a problem, use them. Train with the military; share what works best. Whatever allows the good guys to go home and see their families at night is fine with me. Is it harsh? Yes. Will whoever gave the command second guess themselves? I hope so. But him and his men are alive to second guess, and to me that matters more than being nice to what was shaping up to be a deranged mass murderer. I'd shake that officer's hand well before I would condemn him.
Put yourselves in place of the guys who would have had to breach the cabin. I'd rather not have to go busting into that cabin with Dorner alive inside if there was another way.