OSH Security Practice Test

Placing a choke hold on an individual you have arrested because you have a feeling he may escape could be excessive use of force

1. True

2. False

The correct answer is: True

The assertion that placing a choke hold on an individual because of a feeling that they may escape could be excessive use of force is correct. Law enforcement and security personnel are trained to use appropriate levels of force that are necessary and proportionate to the situation at hand. A choke hold is a form of restraint that can interfere with an individual’s ability to breathe and may cause serious injury or even death. The use of such force should be reserved for situations where an immediate threat to life or serious injury is present, and not based on subjective feelings or assumptions about potential escape. This aligns with the principle of necessity, which dictates that force must only be applied when absolutely needed to mitigate a specific threat or danger. In contexts of law enforcement, excessive use of force is generally understood to be any level of force that goes beyond what is reasonable and necessary to control a situation. Therefore, utilizing a choke hold merely out of a suspicion or feeling that an individual might try to escape does not meet the standard of reasonableness and can lead to serious consequences, both for the individual being restrained and for the officer or security personnel involved.