Under the objective reasonableness standard for reviewing an officer's use of force, which information does the court consider?

• A. The suspect's prior criminal history
• B. The department's use-of-force policy only
• C. The facts known to the officer during the use of the force
• D. The officer's training level

Answer: (C)

Reasonableness is judged from the officer’s perspective on the scene, at the moment the force is used. The court asks what a reasonable officer with similar training and experience would have believed and perceived given the information actually available to the officer at the time. That means the key factor is the facts known to the officer during the incident—the threat level, actions of the suspect, whether a weapon appeared to be present, and how the situation unfolded under stress. Later information or outcomes aren’t the basis for the initial reasonableness decision.

The suspect’s prior criminal history doesn’t reflect the immediate danger perceived on scene. A department’s policy can influence considerations, but it doesn’t replace the on-scene information the officer relied upon. Training matters only insofar as it informs what a reasonable officer would know in that situation. In short, the information evaluated is what the officer actually knew at the time of the force.