MPOETC - Municipal Police Officers Education and Training Commission Use of Force Procedures Questions and Answers

Question 1

According to the U.S. Supreme Court case Graham v. Connor, the reasonableness of a particular use of force by an officer must be judged from the perspective of a:

Accepted Answer

Reasonable officer on the scene at the time of the incident.

Answer

Jury, with the benefit of hindsight and expert testimony.

Answer

Senior supervising officer who reviews the incident report.

Answer

Civilian review board after a thorough investigation.

Question 2

An officer responds to a burglary in progress. The suspect flees on foot and is unarmed. According to Tennessee v. Garner, when would the use of deadly force to prevent escape be constitutionally permissible?

Accepted Answer

Only if the officer has probable cause to believe the suspect poses a significant threat of death or serious physical injury to the officer or others.

Answer

Anytime a suspect is fleeing from a felony crime.

Answer

If the suspect ignores a verbal command to halt.

Answer

After the officer has exhausted all other non-lethal means to capture the suspect.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT one of the three primary factors established in Graham v. Connor to determine the objective reasonableness of a use of force incident?

Accepted Answer

The officer's previous use of force history.

Answer

The severity of the crime at issue.

Answer

Whether the suspect posed an immediate threat to the safety of the officers or others.

Answer

Whether the suspect was actively resisting arrest or attempting to evade arrest by flight.

Question 4

An officer is attempting to arrest a subject for disorderly conduct. The subject is verbally non-compliant but is not making any physical threats. The officer immediately deploys their TASER. This action would most likely be considered:

Accepted Answer

Excessive, as the level of force was not proportional to the subject's level of resistance.

Answer

A justified use of force as the subject was non-compliant.

Answer

An appropriate de-escalation technique.

Answer

Permissible, because a TASER is a less-lethal option.

Question 5

Under Pennsylvania law and MPOETC guidelines, what is an officer's primary justification for the use of any force?

Accepted Answer

To gain compliance and establish control of a situation.

Answer

To punish a suspect for non-compliance.

Answer

To assert authority and deter future criminal acts.

Answer

To respond to any sign of disrespect from a citizen.

Question 6

An officer observes a subject known to have a history of violent crime walking down the street. The subject has not committed any observable offense. The officer's decision to use force in this situation must be based on:

Accepted Answer

The subject's articulable actions at that specific moment creating a reasonable threat.

Answer

The subject's criminal history alone.

Answer

A generalized fear for officer safety.

Answer

A desire to conduct a preemptive 'stop and frisk' based on reputation.

According to the U.S.Supreme Court case Graham v.Connor, the reasonableness of a particular use of force by an officer must be judged from the perspective of a:

According to the U.S.
Supreme Court case Graham v.
Connor, the reasonableness of a particular use of force by an officer must be judged from the perspective of a: