BMO Use of Force Policies 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which landmark Supreme Court case established that deadly force may not be used to stop a fleeing felon who poses no immediate threat?
- Graham v. Connor (1989)
- Tennessee v. Garner (1985) (Correct answer)
- Hudson v. McMillian (1992)
- Kingsley v. Hendrickson (2015)
Correct answer: Tennessee v. Garner (1985)
Tennessee v. Garner (1985) held that using deadly force against a non-dangerous fleeing suspect violates the Fourth Amendment.
Question 2: Under a 'duty to intervene' policy, an officer who witnesses a colleague using excessive force is required to:
- File a report within 72 hours
- Immediately stop the excessive force and report it (Correct answer)
- Consult a supervisor before taking any action
- Document the incident but not interfere
Correct answer: Immediately stop the excessive force and report it
Duty-to-intervene policies require officers to physically intervene to stop ongoing excessive force and report what they witnessed.
Question 3: In a use-of-force report, an officer must document which of the following?
- Only injuries sustained by the officer
- The suspect's criminal history and prior contacts
- The specific force used, subject's actions, and officer's reasoning (Correct answer)
- Only information that supports the decision to use force
Correct answer: The specific force used, subject's actions, and officer's reasoning
Comprehensive use-of-force reports must include what force was applied, what the subject did that prompted it, and the officer's articulated reasoning.
Question 4: Which type of force level describes verbal commands and officer presence alone?
- Intermediate force
- Soft empty-hand control
- Psychological force (Correct answer)
- Tactical withdrawal
Correct answer: Psychological force
Verbal commands and uniformed presence are classified as psychological or cooperative force — the lowest level on most use-of-force continuums.
Question 5: A supervisor reviewing a use-of-force incident determines the force was within policy but identifies a training gap. The appropriate next step is:
- Take no action since policy was followed
- Suspend the officer pending investigation
- Document the training need and refer the officer for remedial training (Correct answer)
- Refer the matter to the internal affairs division
Correct answer: Document the training need and refer the officer for remedial training
When force is policy-compliant but a training gap is identified, supervisors should document the deficiency and route the officer to remedial training.
Question 6: Which use-of-force principle requires that the type and amount of force used must match the threat level presented?
- Imminence
- Necessity
- Proportionality (Correct answer)
- Reasonableness
Correct answer: Proportionality
Proportionality requires that force used be commensurate with the level of threat faced — excessive responses violate this principle.
Question 7: Which scenario would most likely be considered an inappropriate use of a conducted energy device (CED/Taser)?
- A suspect actively fighting two officers
- A fleeing suspect who presents no immediate threat to others (Correct answer)
- A suspect attempting to disarm an officer
- A subject threatening officers with a metal pipe
Correct answer: A fleeing suspect who presents no immediate threat to others
Deploying a CED against a fleeing subject who poses no immediate danger to others is generally prohibited under modern use-of-force policies.
BMO Use of Force Policies 3
Which landmark Supreme Court case established that deadly force may not be used to stop a fleeing felon who poses no immediate threat?