The po-po is a gang. A gang protects their own.
The federal govern-cement is a bigger gang. And they have real thugs to protect them.
It isn't a difference in how the law sees you, in fact, the law is irrelevant.
"Its a big club, and you aren't in it" - George Carlin
What you may not know is that the signers of the constitution, and their children, own the govern-cement. They are above it. It is their tool. You are beneath it. So, of course the govern-cement protects them.
You, they show up after you have beaten your neighbor, and arrest you, because hey, they have to make quota. It has nothing to do with you actually breaking the law.