Which of the following is an example of passive resistance?

• A. The subject refuses to move at the officer's directions.
• B. The subject peacefully protest at a political event in a public location.
• C. The subject refuses to take his hands out of his pockets or from behind his neck.
• D. The subject bracing or pulling away when the officer grips the arm.

Answer: (C)

Passive resistance is noncooperation that does not involve physically fighting or forcibly opposing the officer. It communicates unwillingness to comply through nonverbal cues or hesitation, without taking active steps to resist or escape.

The example of keeping hands in pockets or behind the neck fits this best because it signals noncompliance with a safety directive (exposing hands) while not engaging in any physical attack or struggle. The officer cannot quickly assess for weapons, yet there is no movement toward a confrontation, which is typical of passive resistance.

Contrast that with the other scenarios: refusing to move can be noncompliant but doesn’t inherently involve the clear nonverbal cue of concealing hands; peaceful protest, while a legitimate form of expression, isn’t about complying with an officer’s specific safety commands in a restraint scenario; bracing or pulling away from a grip is active resistance, involving physical effort to oppose the officer.