Which of the following is an example of active resistance?

• A. The subject braces or pulls away from the officer when the officer grips the subject's arm.
• B. The subject quietly complies with instructions.
• C. The subject stands still and does not move.
• D. The subject retreats from the scene.

Answer: (A)

Active resistance shows when someone uses deliberate physical effort to oppose or break contact with an officer who is trying to gain or maintain control. Bracing or pulling away from the grip is a clear example: the person is actively trying to defeat the officer’s hold by creating force and movement against the restraint. This goes beyond simply not following a directive; it’s an intentional, physical effort to resist control.

Quietly complying, standing still, and retreating are not active resistance. Quiet compliance means following instructions and submitting to the encounter, standing still is neutral with no attempt to oppose the hold, and retreating is more about disengagement or avoidance rather than using force to defeat the officer’s control.