Good points, well made.
I absolutely concur with you re the 747 Trimotor incident.
However, I would violently disagree with your inference that only the taxpayers in a particular jurisdiction have the right to question or kick a particular airworthiness or safety body.
Safety is EVERYBODY's business, and where the CAA deserve criticism, someone's nationality should not prevent them from raising a concern.
We are all professional aviators, after all.
I also hear what you say with regard to the Law Enforcement pilots to whom you spoke. The problem does not come with those agencies who rigorously follow good practise without being compelled to do so. Minimum standards are there to legislate for the less scrupulous agencies who do not do the job properly. A Police Department that requires pilots to fly under supervision until they have a CPL and have completed adequate role training is 'doing it right' - but anecdotally it seems that there are a small number of air support units that do not.
Nor does a State Trooper office that uses new, fully certificated 412s and 407s, maintained 'regardless of expense' need to learn the lessons of operating helicopters with marginal performance in this challenging role. But a Sheriff's department operating an R44 or an Enstrom might well need stern and robust 'guidance', if not legislation.