There are cheetahs, lions and leopards running around. This is not an animal control situation. This is a public safety issue.
Unless they had hurt or were threatening to hurt someone, there was no reason to start executing them by the dozens.
Face it, this was just a bunch of hick cops getting their jollies off killing everything that moved, and using their badge as an excuse.
The police can't sweep the woods killing every wild animal they see for public safety.