What does the term objective necessity refer to?

• A. A rule about taking suspects into custody
• B. The required level of force for routine traffic stops
• C. A standard for evaluating officer use of force
• D. A legal standard governing the use of force by peace officers

Answer: (D)

Objective necessity is a legal standard that guides when peace officers may use force. It requires that any force used be necessary to achieve a legitimatePolice objective and that the reasonableness be judged by an objective standard, considering the totality of circumstances at the time. It’s about whether the use of force was legally justified, not just a rule about custody or a fixed level of force for routine stops. Courts assess whether a reasonable officer would have believed the force was necessary under the circumstances, making it a legal standard governing use of force by peace officers.