I think the original statement is closer to the truth: Staff loves us, management dreads us.
Having worked in security at an EXTREMELY busy haunted house with a small parking lot (I was the main target..err...traffic director) you do have to get over the top at times to get people moving. It sounds like they had a newbie in position from the sounds of things: Newbies tend to threaten with towing rather than encouring order because that's all they can think of when they get swamped. Not an excuse, his higher up did right by telling him to calm down and remember that these aren't inconviences, theyr'e customers