ACT 235 Patrol Procedures 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under Act 235, when is an officer authorized to use deadly force during a patrol?
- Whenever a subject refuses to comply with orders
- Only when the officer or another person faces imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury (Correct answer)
- When a subject flees after committing a misdemeanor
- At the discretion of the supervising officer
Correct answer: Only when the officer or another person faces imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury
Act 235 authorizes deadly force only when there is an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officer or others.
Question 2: What does 'sector patrol' mean in the context of Act 235 patrol procedures?
- Patrolling only the interior of a building
- Dividing a property into zones and assigning officers to specific areas for coverage (Correct answer)
- Patrolling only during daylight hours
- A patrol technique used only in industrial settings
Correct answer: Dividing a property into zones and assigning officers to specific areas for coverage
Sector patrol divides a property into manageable zones to ensure systematic and complete coverage by assigned officers.
Question 3: An Act 235 officer encounters a subject who is armed with a knife at a distance of 20 feet and advancing. What principle applies?
- The subject must be at arm's length before force is considered
- The 21-foot rule suggests this distance may not be sufficient to safely react to an edged weapon attack (Correct answer)
- Officers must always wait until physical contact is made
- Only law enforcement may respond to armed subjects
Correct answer: The 21-foot rule suggests this distance may not be sufficient to safely react to an edged weapon attack
The 21-foot rule demonstrates that an armed subject can close 21 feet before an officer can react, making a knife at 20 feet a serious threat.
Question 4: What should an Act 235 officer do immediately after a use of force incident during patrol?
- Continue patrol without interruption
- Secure the scene, render aid if safe to do so, and notify the supervisor immediately (Correct answer)
- File a report at the end of the shift only
- Discuss the incident with coworkers before notifying anyone
Correct answer: Secure the scene, render aid if safe to do so, and notify the supervisor immediately
Securing the scene, rendering appropriate aid, and immediately notifying the supervisor are the required post-use-of-force steps.
Question 5: Why is it important for an Act 235 patrol officer to vary the timing of patrol checks at fixed points?
- To reduce wear on patrol vehicles
- To prevent adversaries from predicting and exploiting predictable patrol patterns (Correct answer)
- To comply with shift schedule requirements
- To maximize overtime billing opportunities
Correct answer: To prevent adversaries from predicting and exploiting predictable patrol patterns
Varying patrol timing prevents criminals from learning predictable patterns and exploiting the gaps in coverage.
Question 6: What is the recommended response when an Act 235 officer discovers an unconscious person during a patrol?
- Leave the person and complete the patrol first
- Assess for danger, call for emergency medical services, and render first aid if trained (Correct answer)
- Move the person to a safe area immediately
- Photograph the scene and await supervisor arrival before acting
Correct answer: Assess for danger, call for emergency medical services, and render first aid if trained
The officer should first ensure scene safety, then immediately summon EMS and render first aid within their training level.
Question 7: What does 'reasonable suspicion' allow an Act 235 officer to do during a patrol?
- Arrest a subject and transport them to a detention facility
- Briefly detain a subject to investigate specific, articulable facts suggesting criminal activity (Correct answer)
- Search a subject's belongings without consent
- Use force immediately to subdue the subject
Correct answer: Briefly detain a subject to investigate specific, articulable facts suggesting criminal activity
Reasonable suspicion justifies a brief investigative detention based on specific and articulable facts, but does not authorize arrest or search.
ACT 235 Patrol Procedures 5
Under Act 235, when is an officer authorized to use deadly force during a patrol?