Funny, I hadn't thought of that. I'll go out on a limb and guess that maybe it is one of the differences between the American and the French cultures. The former is defined at least in part by the second Amendment, the right to bear arms, whereas in France that is pretty much a foreign concept, except for hunting rifles to go ...hunting (and I don't mean hunting police officers).
One thing I have noticed over the last couple of years or so, is that there is increased gun control in parallel with an increase in individuals learning to shoot and getting weapons permit, as well as an increase in survivalism.
The people who usually target the police live in the low income suburbs/no-go areas (and yes, they exist), are (politically incorrect warning) of non-French origin. Funnily enough, most of them get second, third, fourth chances like the loser that killed all those people in Strasbourg last month whereas the Gilets Jaunes get dragged to the police station and get firm prison sentences.