The decision to use deadly force must be based on which of the following beliefs?

• A. Clear, reasonable belief that the officer or others face imminent danger or great bodily harm
• B. The suspect’s past violent history
• C. The time of day
• D. The officer’s personal feelings

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that deadly force is justified only when there is a clear, reasonable belief that the officer or others are facing imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm. “Imminent” means the threat is happening now or is about to happen right away, not something that could occur later. “Reasonable belief” means a trained officer on the scene would objectively assess the situation as posing an immediate risk, given the facts at hand.

Background factors like a suspect’s past violent history or the time of day don’t create a present threat. Likewise, the officer’s personal feelings or emotions aren’t a basis for using deadly force. The decision must rest on the current, observable threat and whether a reasonable officer would conclude that deadly force is necessary to prevent serious harm. For example, if a suspect points a weapon at you and you reasonably believe you or others are about to be seriously harmed, that supports using deadly force; if there’s no immediate threat, deadly force isn’t justified.