Firearms Training & Use of Force Techniques Flashcards

Which technique is used to safely holster a semi-automatic pistol while ensuring the trigger guard is clear?

Answer: Keep the trigger finger straight along the frame until the firearm is fully holstered

Keeping the trigger finger straight along the frame outside the trigger guard is the primary mechanical safeguard against accidental discharge when holstering.

In oleoresin capsicum (OC/pepper spray) deployment, officers are trained that the substance primarily works by:

Answer: Causing intense inflammation of the mucous membranes, eyes, and throat, impairing the subject's ability to resist

OC spray causes inflammatory effects on the eyes, mucous membranes, and throat, inducing pain and impairing vision, which reduces the subject's ability to resist.

What is 'sympathetic firing' in a firearms training context?

Answer: The involuntary discharge of a firearm caused by a startle response or when one hand triggers the other to fire

Sympathetic firing occurs when a startle response or bilateral limb movement causes an officer to unintentionally discharge their firearm — a critical safety concern in high-stress encounters.

A subject who is mentally ill and brandishing a weapon represents which type of threat classification?

Answer: An active threat potentially justifying a higher level of force including deadly force if imminent danger exists

Mental illness does not preclude the threat being deadly — if the subject with a weapon poses an imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury, deadly force may be justified.

What is the recommended practice when an officer must reload a firearm under stress during a lethal encounter?

Answer: Pause behind cover, execute a tactical or emergency reload, and scan before re-engaging

Officers are trained to use available cover when reloading under stress and to scan for additional threats after completing the reload before re-engaging.

Which of the following best describes the 'duty to intervene' in Virginia's law enforcement standards?

Answer: Officers must physically intervene if a colleague uses force that appears excessive or unlawful

DCJS standards and Virginia law impose a duty on officers to intervene to stop excessive or unlawful use of force by a fellow officer and to report the incident.

When an officer secures a firearm from a subject, what is the FIRST action the officer should take?

Answer: Keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction and treat it as loaded until verified otherwise

All firearms must be treated as loaded until physically verified — the muzzle should be kept in a safe direction as the first priority when taking custody of a firearm.