Under what conditions is deadly force typically justified?

• A. When there is an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm to the officer or others, and no reasonable alternatives exist.
• B. When a suspect surrenders peacefully.
• C. Only when a supervisor approves it after evaluating the entire incident.
• D. Whenever a suspect attempts to flee.

Answer: (B)

Deadly force is justified only when there is an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm to the officer or others, and there are no reasonable alternatives to stop the threat. This means the danger must be immediate and pressing, and the force used must be proportional to that threat. If a suspect surrenders peacefully, there is no ongoing threat, so deadly force would not be appropriate. Decisions about use of force are made in the moment based on the totality of circumstances and what a reasonable officer would do, not on post-incident approval. Fleeing alone does not create a situation that justifies deadly force.