Judgment, De-escalation, and Reporting
Judgment before force
Most exam scenarios test whether you created the danger or reduced it. Time, distance, cover, and communication are free tools: slow the encounter down, keep an exit, use a barrier, and give clear, simple commands. De-escalation does not require you to accept risk; it requires you to try the reasonable option before using force and to stop trying when it stops being safe. Avoid escalating with profanity, threats, or crowd-pleasing banter. Recognize crisis indicators -- disorientation, self-harm talk, inability to follow commands -- and adjust to a quieter, slower approach while requesting police or EMS.
The report
A use-of-force report is a legal document that will be read by lawyers, not just supervisors. Use the who, what, when, where, how, and why structure. Separate observation from inference: "he clenched both fists and stepped toward me" is observation; "he was going to attack" is inference, which must be labeled as your perception. State the threat, the options you considered, why you chose what you chose, each force application, the subject's response, injuries, medical aid, witnesses, and evidence handling and chain of custody. Write it promptly, sign it, and submit it through your employer's process and any required notification to the Pennsylvania State Police. Reports should be complete and factual, not flattering; boilerplate phrases are the first thing an examiner attacks.
Traps in questions
- Omitting the warnings given or the alternatives considered.
- Writing conclusory language with no observable facts behind it.
- Delaying the report or amending it silently instead of documenting the correction.
Rule of thumb
If a sentence cannot be supported by something you saw, heard, or did, rewrite it or label it as your perception.