MPOETC Firearms & Defensive Tactics 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A suspect charges an officer from 21 feet away with an edged weapon. According to commonly taught law enforcement doctrine, what does this distance represent?
- Maximum range for OC spray
- The Tueller Drill distance where a subject can close before an officer can draw and fire (Correct answer)
- The minimum distance for a warning shot
- The safe reactionary gap for verbal commands
Correct answer: The Tueller Drill distance where a subject can close before an officer can draw and fire
The Tueller Drill (often called the '21-foot rule') demonstrates that an average person can close 21 feet before a typical officer can draw and fire an accurate shot.
Question 2: What does 'cover' provide that 'concealment' does not?
- Visual obstruction from the threat
- Protection from ballistic penetration (Correct answer)
- A position from which to draw a firearm
- Legal justification for using force
Correct answer: Protection from ballistic penetration
Cover (e.g., engine block, concrete wall) stops or deflects bullets; concealment (e.g., bushes, drywall) only hides the officer visually.
Question 3: Which MPOETC-recognized force option is considered one step below deadly force?
- Officer presence
- Verbal commands
- Less-lethal impact munitions or CEW (TASER) (Correct answer)
- Soft empty-hand control
Correct answer: Less-lethal impact munitions or CEW (TASER)
Less-lethal options such as conducted energy weapons (CEW) and impact munitions fall just below deadly force on the use-of-force continuum.
Question 4: During a low-light shooting scenario, what technique is used to illuminate the target while maintaining a two-handed grip on the pistol?
- Chapman technique
- Harries technique (Correct answer)
- Weaver stance
- Isosceles stance
Correct answer: Harries technique
The Harries technique places the flashlight hand under the gun hand with crossed wrists, creating isometric tension that stabilizes the handgun in low light.
Question 5: What is a 'squib load' and why is it dangerous?
- A round with no powder that leaves the bullet lodged in the barrel, risking an obstruction explosion (Correct answer)
- A cartridge with double the powder charge causing excessive recoil
- An improperly seated primer that causes delayed firing
- A hollow-point round that fails to expand
Correct answer: A round with no powder that leaves the bullet lodged in the barrel, risking an obstruction explosion
A squib load has insufficient propellant, causing the bullet to become lodged in the bore; firing another round into the obstruction can cause catastrophic barrel failure.
Question 6: Which technique is recommended when an officer must draw a firearm while seated in a patrol vehicle?
- Cross-draw with the non-dominant hand
- Lean forward, push back the seatbelt, then draw and cant the muzzle upward (Correct answer)
- Draw normally and keep the gun pointed at the floor
- Exit the vehicle before drawing
Correct answer: Lean forward, push back the seatbelt, then draw and cant the muzzle upward
Leaning forward clears the seat back, pushing back or breaking the seatbelt allows access to the holster, and canting avoids snagging on the seat or dash.
Question 7: What is the primary purpose of the 'interview stance' (also called the 'protective stance') used during field interviews?
- To project authority and appear larger
- To blade the body and keep the weapon-side away from the subject (Correct answer)
- To free both hands for note-taking
- To maintain eye contact at all times
Correct answer: To blade the body and keep the weapon-side away from the subject
The interview stance blades the body so the strong-side (weapon) hip is turned away from the subject, reducing the risk of a gun grab while enabling a defensive response.
MPOETC Firearms & Defensive Tactics 4
A suspect charges an officer from 21 feet away with an edged weapon.
According to commonly taught law enforcement doctrine, what does this distance represent?