OPINION: Containing street fighting during arrests
One man's opinion
NYPD Police officers are not trained as street fighters, nor should they be.
In the early 1980s, because of an arrest situation which ended up with the arresting officers using deadly force when they were threatened and under attack from a large knife-wielding woman, the NYPD instituted new training procedures to be used, when possible, in similar situations.
The arresting officers should keep talking and back off from the threatening and resisting arrest perpetrator and, at the same time, call for a Sergeant (and, if felt necessary, the ESU.) This can be done if it is possible to isolate and contain the Perp from harming the officers or the public.
The sergeant and the ESU are trained, and have equipment to contain the violence without the use of deadly force.