Law Enforcement Use of Force Principles 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under Graham v. Connor (1989), an officer's use of force is judged by which legal standard?
- Objective reasonableness from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene (Correct answer)
- The officer's subjective intent at the time
- Whether the suspect was actually armed
- 20/20 hindsight by a review board
Correct answer: Objective reasonableness from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene
Graham v. Connor established that force is judged by objective reasonableness from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, not hindsight.
Question 2: Which of the following is NOT one of the three Graham factors used to assess reasonableness of force?
- The officer's level of fatigue (Correct answer)
- The severity of the crime at issue
- Whether the suspect poses an immediate threat
- Whether the suspect is actively resisting or fleeing
Correct answer: The officer's level of fatigue
The three Graham factors are crime severity, immediate threat, and active resistance or flight; officer fatigue is not a factor.
Question 3: The concept that officers should use only the amount of force necessary and reduce it as resistance decreases is called:
- Proportionality (Correct answer)
- Qualified immunity
- Probable cause
- Exigent circumstances
Correct answer: Proportionality
Proportionality requires force to match the level of threat and decrease as resistance subsides.
Question 4: A suspect complies fully with verbal commands and offers no resistance. What level of force is appropriate?
- Officer presence and verbal direction only (Correct answer)
- Soft empty-hand control
- Hard empty-hand strikes
- Intermediate weapons such as a baton
Correct answer: Officer presence and verbal direction only
A compliant subject requires only officer presence and verbal commands at the lowest level of the force continuum.
Question 5: Deadly force is generally justified only when:
- The officer reasonably believes there is an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm (Correct answer)
- A suspect refuses to answer questions
- A suspect runs away from a misdemeanor stop
- The officer is angry about being disrespected
Correct answer: The officer reasonably believes there is an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm
Deadly force requires a reasonable belief of an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury to the officer or others.
Question 6: Tennessee v. Garner (1985) limited the use of deadly force against:
- A fleeing, unarmed, non-dangerous felony suspect (Correct answer)
- An armed suspect actively shooting
- A suspect holding a hostage
- A driver ramming officers with a vehicle
Correct answer: A fleeing, unarmed, non-dangerous felony suspect
Tennessee v. Garner held that deadly force may not be used against a fleeing felon who poses no immediate threat of serious harm.
Question 7: The duty to intervene requires an officer who witnesses excessive force by a fellow officer to:
- Take reasonable action to stop it and report it (Correct answer)
- Ignore it unless directly ordered to act
- Wait for a supervisor before doing anything
- Only intervene if the suspect is a minor
Correct answer: Take reasonable action to stop it and report it
Officers have an affirmative duty to intervene to stop excessive force and to report it.
Law Enforcement Use of Force Principles 2
Under Graham v.
Connor (1989), an officer's use of force is judged by which legal standard?