but evryone knows you don't argue with cops on the street, you only argue with them in civil court.
This does not make alot of sense... Civil court is where you sue people?
If you don't agree with a decision by a officer on the street call 207-SAPD and request that a supervisor either come see you or call you... It's that simple. If you don't agree with that supervisor, repeat the process.
You are not always going to get the answer you want. Just because you think someone should be arrested does not mean that they can be arrested. Cops have to go by numerous things to arrest someone, IE penal code, code of criminal procedure, case law, supreme court rulings, and of course what the local DA will accept.
One more thing, just because you see it on Law and Order or CSI does not make it true. We don't get DNA results in 30 minutes, not every case is solved etc...