I think that it was a heck of a lot more than just a slight error in judgement.

It probably would have been best to let John Rambo get a meal at the local restaurant.
Considering the events that transpired later Teasle made a slight error in judgment.
Correct?
Slight? In retrospect: I would have taken him to the nearest steakhouse..and it would be on me!
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If Rambo hadn't attacked the police he probably would have had all of the charges cleared and may have been able to sue the police department. After you start assaulting police officers you make yourself less of a victim.
Rambo had his issues, but resisting arrest was more the catalyst than just being arrested for vagrancy. Someone above posted the judge would probably have dismissed the charges, but he might have been just as much as a tool as Teasle.
If I'm the sheriff, I take Rambo to a diner and let him eat, then drive him out of town. Problem avoided, but of course no movie either..
In any case, I remember being stunned by the scene when Rambo found the ladder leading up out of the cave and instead of escaping to safety, decides to hijack a truck and start assaulting people and the town.
Is very bad to steal Jobu's rum. Is very bad.

If Rambo hadn't attacked the police he probably would have had all of the charges cleared and may have been able to sue the police department. After you start assaulting police officers you make yourself less of a victim.
"I really wish Gia and Claire had became Tanner" - Honeybeefine

In the book, Teasle was a Korean War vet. Apparently Korean vets don't like Vietnam vets.

And its so obvious that teasle never served in the military. He probably went to college so he wouldn't be drafted. Not to mention how insecure he is.

Yes. If Teasle had let Rambo eat something then maybe Rambo would've hit the road but since Rambo looked like an outsider and wearing a military jacket with the USA flag on it waltzing through town Teasle wasnt having it.

What a stupid question!

Literally
what I was going to say, minus the "gee"
Anyway, the sheriff represented the people who didn't welcome the Vietnam vets with open arms, so to speak.

Gee ya think?

Teasle was basically a STALKER of drifters. Seems like he made up his mind before the first word was even uttered.
Inger, you must rot, because the times are rotten.

I wonder if it's deliberate irony on the part of the filmmaker that the name of the town is Hope.

Maybe, but it's nevertheless not within his authority and he shouldn't be doing it. He should know and respect that, and if he doesn't he should suffer the consequences.

and you see what the town got for their narrow-mindedness? The whole place was bombed; nothing left in 1 piece in downtown
"hillbilly-land!"
Idiots!

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He made a big error in judgment. A police officer can't just tell someone they have to leave a public town without some sort of legal reason.
Technically you are correct but it does happen in small towns in the USA.
Residents want a small quiet town. You might say "boring". So they hire a Sheriff/Police Officer to keep it that way.
If an officer sees a stranger that is perceived as undesirable or dangerous the officer will run him out of town.

He made a big error in judgment. A police officer can't just tell someone they have to leave a public town without some sort of legal reason.

There's another scene later in the movie where he claims to be, " The Law! " It's in a tent, in a conversation with a State Police officer, where he's trying to justify the abuse his deputies perpetrated against Rambo. He says ( paraphrased), " I'm the law ! When someone starts f..king with the law is when all hell breaks loose!" Absolutely hypocritical or what ?
" Wrapped up in his own viewpoint " is an understatement ! How do we first see his character? Emerging from the police station, inhaling, savoring, absolutely full of his position and self-importance which was ultimately his undoing.He was obviously a man of extreme pride and he would let nothing get in the way of saving face.
The only other character more despicable was his apparent second in command, Galt!
Oddly reminiscent of the irrational, redneck hatred displayed in Easy Rider.

Calling Teasle a "no-good stinking jerk" does the movie a disservice by missing the point. To quote one of my favorite Wilford Brimley lines, from "Absence of Malice":
"He was a nice guy.
He just forgot about the rules."
Teasle is too wrapped up in his own viewpoint to see that he is trampling on the rights of a citizen by running Rambo out of town. Despite the statement he makes while in the cruiser, he is NOT the law.
It is in fact HE who is breaking the law by violating Rambo's civil rights.
Whatever. I don't find him that sympathetic. He certainly isn't as sympathetic as his novel counterpart.
Green Goblin is great!

Teasle is too wrapped up in his own viewpoint to see that he is trampling on the rights of a citizen by running Rambo out of town. Despite the statement he makes while in the cruiser, he is NOT the law.
It is in fact HE who is breaking the law by violating Rambo's civil rights.
THIS. ^^^^
This is the "slight error in judgement" that Teasle makes. Up to that point Rambo had broken NO laws.
The movie has a plot hole?!?
EVERY FRIGGIN' MOVIE HAS A FRIGGIN' PLOT HOLE!!!!!

Calling Teasle a "no-good stinking jerk" does the movie a disservice by missing the point. To quote one of my favorite Wilford Brimley lines, from "Absence of Malice":
"He was a nice guy.
He just forgot about the rules."
Teasle is too wrapped up in his own viewpoint to see that he is trampling on the rights of a citizen by running Rambo out of town. Despite the statement he makes while in the cruiser, he is NOT the law.
It is in fact HE who is breaking the law by violating Rambo's civil rights.

The book had Rambo in more the antagonist role.

I've stated this before and I'll state this error. Sheriff Teasle may have made a slight error in judgement, but John Rambo also made an error as well in that he could have at least tried to be more professional, respectful, and courteous to the Sheriff by making a statement such as:
"Sheriff, I'm very hungry right now and I'd like to get a bite to eat at that fast food restaurant over there. As soon as I'm done, then I'll be on my way."
No offense but there was nothing impolite about the way he asked Teasle for a bite to eat. Teasle was just a no good stinking jerk and a complete disgrace as both a police officer and a person. There was no good stinking reason for him to not let Rambo get a bite to eat in town. He also comments when he brings Rambo in and gets asked who he is, "Another smart ass drifter." indicating he has made up charges against anyone who is homeless that is walking through his town.
He's a no good stinking jerk and I doubt he's ever given a single cent to a charity and probably has never tried to help out a homeless person. It's a shame cause in the book he actually lets Rambo get a bite to eat in town and doesn't arrest him til he tries to come back into town after that. Also unlike the movie, in the book,Teasle actually listens to Trautman and feels bad about how he treated Rambo. Also unlike movie Teasle he's not jealous of Rambo's Congressional Medal of Honor.
Green Goblin is great!

John is a man of few words though.

I've stated this before and I'll state this error. Sheriff Teasle may have made a slight error in judgement, but John Rambo also made an error as well in that he could have at least tried to be more professional, respectful, and courteous to the Sheriff by making a statement such as:
"Sheriff, I'm very hungry right now and I'd like to get a bite to eat at that fast food restaurant over there. As soon as I'm done, then I'll be on my way."
It was definitely worth at try to make a statement like that to avoid confusion and misunderstandings.