Which Florida Statute governs all use of force by criminal justice officers?

• A. Chapter 776, F.S.
• B. Chapter 944, F.S.
• C. Chapter 945, F.S.
• D. Section 776.05, F.S.

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that Florida’s general framework for how officers may use force is found in Chapter 776, Florida Statutes. This chapter, titled Use of Force, sets the rules for when force may be used, what counts as reasonable force, and how force can be applied in self-defense, defense of others, and in detaining suspects. It provides the overarching authority that applies to police, corrections, and other criminal justice personnel across the state. A separate section, 776.05, addresses deadly force specifically, but the whole use-of-force framework comes from Chapter 776. The other options relate to different topics—944 and 945 deal with corrections in general, not the universal use-of-force rules, and a single provision like 776.05 only covers deadly force, not how use of force is viewed overall.