NJ LEE Use of Force & Defensive Tactics 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An officer witnesses a fellow officer using excessive force on a restrained subject. The witnessing officer is legally obligated to:
- Document the incident in their personal notes only
- Intervene to stop the excessive force and report it (Correct answer)
- Defer to the senior officer's judgment
- Leave the scene to avoid involvement
Correct answer: Intervene to stop the excessive force and report it
NJ Attorney General guidelines require officers to intervene when they witness another officer using excessive or unlawful force, and to report the incident through proper channels.
Question 2: In which scenario would a TASER (conducted energy device) be LEAST appropriate?
- A subject actively resisting arrest on dry ground
- A subject standing on a bridge railing over water (Correct answer)
- A subject who refuses to comply with verbal commands
- A subject swinging a chair in a confined space
Correct answer: A subject standing on a bridge railing over water
A TASER is least appropriate when the subject is in a position where neuromuscular incapacitation could cause serious secondary injury, such as falling from a bridge.
Question 3: After using force, officers are required to document the incident in a Use of Force Report. This report must be submitted:
- Within 30 days of the incident
- As soon as practical after the incident (Correct answer)
- Only if the subject files a complaint
- At the officer's next shift start
Correct answer: As soon as practical after the incident
NJ Attorney General policy requires Use of Force Reports to be submitted as soon as practical following the incident, not at the officer's convenience.
Question 4: The 'continuum of force' model is best understood as:
- A rigid step-by-step ladder that must be followed in order
- A flexible guide allowing officers to match force to the level of resistance (Correct answer)
- A list of prohibited force techniques
- A scale used only for post-incident review
Correct answer: A flexible guide allowing officers to match force to the level of resistance
The force continuum is a flexible framework; officers may skip levels when circumstances require, responding proportionally to the threat presented at any given moment.
Question 5: Which statement about warning shots is correct under NJ Attorney General use of force policy?
- Warning shots are permitted in all situations where deadly force is justified
- Warning shots are generally prohibited (Correct answer)
- Warning shots may be fired over a suspect's head
- Warning shots into the ground are allowed when suspects flee
Correct answer: Warning shots are generally prohibited
NJ Attorney General policy generally prohibits warning shots because they are inherently dangerous and unpredictable in their path and impact.
Question 6: When taking a subject to the ground using a controlled takedown, the officer's PRIMARY concern during the technique is:
- Maximizing pain to gain compliance
- Controlling the subject's head and protecting it from impact (Correct answer)
- Pinning the subject's arms behind their back immediately
- Maintaining radio contact with dispatch
Correct answer: Controlling the subject's head and protecting it from impact
During controlled takedowns, protecting the subject's head from striking the ground is the primary safety concern to prevent traumatic brain injury.
Question 7: Positional asphyxia is a risk when a subject is placed in which position after being restrained?
- Seated upright with hands cuffed in front
- Prone (face down) with weight on the torso for extended time (Correct answer)
- On their side in the recovery position
- Seated in a patrol vehicle with seatbelt secured
Correct answer: Prone (face down) with weight on the torso for extended time
Positional asphyxia occurs when a restrained person in a prone position has their breathing compromised by body weight and position, reducing oxygen intake.
NJ LEE Use of Force & Defensive Tactics 4
An officer witnesses a fellow officer using excessive force on a restrained subject.
The witnessing officer is legally obligated to: