JIBC Use of Force Principles and the Force Continuum — Questions and Answers
Question 1: The BC Use of Force Model is based on the principle that officers should use:
- The maximum force permitted under the Criminal Code at all times
- The minimum amount of force necessary and proportionate to the threat (Correct answer)
- Equal and identical force to whatever the subject is using
- Non-physical communication exclusively unless weapons are present
Correct answer: The minimum amount of force necessary and proportionate to the threat
Canadian law and JIBC training both anchor use-of-force decisions in proportionality and necessity. Officers must be able to justify that the force used was the minimum required to address the threat, not simply a reaction equal to the subject's actions.
Question 2: In the BC Use of Force Model, 'officer presence' is classified as:
- A soft-empty-hand control technique
- A level of force in itself (Correct answer)
- An intermediate-weapon deployment
- A verbal de-escalation tool only
Correct answer: A level of force in itself
Officer presence—uniform, badge, professional demeanour—is recognized as the first and lowest level of force in the continuum. It can deter non-compliance without any physical or verbal intervention.
Question 3: An officer is attempting to handcuff a cooperative subject who suddenly tenses and pulls an arm away. According to use-of-force principles, the officer should:
- Immediately deploy oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray
- Reassess the threat level and apply appropriate soft-empty-hand control (Correct answer)
- Step back and wait for the subject to comply voluntarily
- Call for backup and take no further action until it arrives
Correct answer: Reassess the threat level and apply appropriate soft-empty-hand control
A sudden change in compliance requires a real-time reassessment. Soft-empty-hand techniques (wrist locks, takedowns) are proportionate to active resistance before escalating to intermediate weapons. OC spray would generally not be proportionate for an arm pull alone.
Question 4: Under Section 25 of the Criminal Code of Canada, a peace officer is justified in using force only if:
- The force is used to punish or deter future criminal behaviour
- The force is authorized by law and not excessive given the circumstances (Correct answer)
- The subject has a prior criminal record involving violence
- The officer has exhausted all verbal communication options first
Correct answer: The force is authorized by law and not excessive given the circumstances
Section 25 requires both that the action is legally authorized AND that the force used is not excessive relative to the circumstances. It does not require prior verbal exhaustion in all cases, nor does criminal history justify force independently.
Question 5: Which of the following factors is LEAST relevant when documenting a use-of-force incident?
- The officer's perception of threat cues prior to using force
- The subject's physical size relative to the officer
- The officer's personal feelings about the subject's attitude (Correct answer)
- Whether medical attention was offered to the subject after the incident
Correct answer: The officer's personal feelings about the subject's attitude
Use-of-force reports must be objective and fact-based. An officer's personal feelings or opinions about a subject's attitude are irrelevant and can undermine the report's credibility. All other factors listed are legitimate objective considerations.
Question 6: The term 'reasonableness' in use-of-force law is assessed from the perspective of:
- The subject of force, after the fact
- A senior commanding officer reviewing the incident report
- A reasonable officer in the same circumstances with the same information (Correct answer)
- An independent civilian oversight board using hindsight analysis
Correct answer: A reasonable officer in the same circumstances with the same information
Canadian courts apply the 'reasonable officer' standard—what a trained officer with the same information and in the same situation would perceive and do. Hindsight analysis or the perspective of the subject are not the legal tests applied.
JIBC Use of Force Principles and the Force Continuum
The BC Use of Force Model is based on the principle that officers should use: