ASO Use of Force Continuum 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A suspect grabs a security officer's baton during a struggle. How does this change the threat assessment?
- It has no effect on threat level
- It potentially elevates the threat to deadly force (Correct answer)
- It requires the officer to retreat immediately
- It allows only soft-hand control responses
Correct answer: It potentially elevates the threat to deadly force
When a subject gains control of an officer's weapon, they may now pose a deadly threat, justifying a higher level of force response.
Question 2: Which of the following best defines 'intermediate force'?
- Any force that results in death
- Force options between empty-hand control and deadly force, such as OC spray or a baton (Correct answer)
- Verbal commands and officer presence only
- The use of a firearm with non-lethal rounds exclusively
Correct answer: Force options between empty-hand control and deadly force, such as OC spray or a baton
Intermediate force includes tools and techniques—such as OC spray, batons, or TASERs—that bridge the gap between physical control and deadly force.
Question 3: An agitated subject is pacing and yelling but has not touched or threatened the officer. The MOST appropriate initial response is:
- Immediately deploy OC spray
- Use calm verbal de-escalation (Correct answer)
- Draw your firearm
- Apply wrist lock techniques
Correct answer: Use calm verbal de-escalation
Verbal de-escalation is appropriate when a subject shows emotional agitation without presenting an immediate physical threat.
Question 4: In the context of the use-of-force continuum, 'proportionality' means:
- Using as much force as possible to end the situation quickly
- Matching the level of force to the level of threat or resistance (Correct answer)
- Always using one level higher than the threat presents
- Using force based on the officer's physical size
Correct answer: Matching the level of force to the level of threat or resistance
Proportionality requires that the force applied corresponds to the severity of the threat or resistance encountered.
Question 5: A security officer uses a flashlight to strike a compliant, handcuffed subject. This action is best classified as:
- Reasonable intermediate force
- Excessive force (Correct answer)
- Soft empty-hand control
- A justified defensive tactic
Correct answer: Excessive force
Striking a handcuffed, compliant person constitutes excessive force because the threat has been neutralized and the level of force is no longer justified.
Question 6: Which element is NOT typically part of a use-of-force continuum model?
- Officer presence
- Verbal commands
- Random force selection (Correct answer)
- Deadly force
Correct answer: Random force selection
Force selection must be deliberate and based on threat assessment — there is no 'random' element in a lawful use-of-force framework.
Question 7: Tennessee v. Garner (1985) specifically limited the use of deadly force to situations where:
- Any fleeing felon must be stopped
- The subject poses a significant threat of death or serious physical harm (Correct answer)
- Officers feel personally endangered by a misdemeanor suspect
- The subject refuses verbal commands
Correct answer: The subject poses a significant threat of death or serious physical harm
Tennessee v. Garner held that deadly force may not be used to stop a fleeing felon unless the officer has probable cause to believe the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious injury.
ASO Use of Force Continuum 3
A suspect grabs a security officer's baton during a struggle.
How does this change the threat assessment?