Deadly force may be used to protect officer or others from imminent threat of serious injury or death. Which statement is true?

Deadly force may be used to protect officer or others from imminent threat of serious injury or death. Which statement is true?

• A. It can be used to protect property only
• B. It can be used to protect from non-imminent threats
• C. It can be used to protect against imminent threat of serious injury or death
• D. It can be used whenever the officer wants

Answer: (C)

Deadly force is justified only when there is an imminent threat of serious injury or death to the officer or others. Imminent means the danger is real and immediate—you’re dealing with a situation that could escalate in moments, not something that might happen later. In that context, the statement true is that deadly force may be used to protect against an imminent threat of serious injury or death. It isn’t appropriate for protecting property, it isn’t justified by non-imminent threats, and it isn’t a discretionary choice without a real, immediate danger. For example, if an armed suspect is about to shoot, deadly force may be justified; if the threat is not immediate, it wouldn’t be.

Deadly force is justified only when there is an imminent threat of serious injury or death to the officer or others. Imminent means the danger is real and immediate—you’re dealing with a situation that could escalate in moments, not something that might happen later. In that context, the statement true is that deadly force may be used to protect against an imminent threat of serious injury or death. It isn’t appropriate for protecting property, it isn’t justified by non-imminent threats, and it isn’t a discretionary choice without a real, immediate danger. For example, if an armed suspect is about to shoot, deadly force may be justified; if the threat is not immediate, it wouldn’t be.