Which standard governs the assessment of force used by officers under the Fourth Amendment?

• A. Reasonable force standard
• B. Objective reasonableness standard (Graham v. Connor)
• C. No standard exists
• D. A subjective standard

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that Fourth Amendment use-of-force rulings are judged by objective reasonableness. What matters is whether the amount and manner of force used were reasonable from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, given what they knew at the time, not based on the officer’s personal beliefs after the fact. This standard comes from Graham v. Connor, which directs courts to evaluate the force by considering the totality of the circumstances and the viewpoint of a reasonable officer on the scene. Factors often weighed include the seriousness of the crime, whether the suspect posed an immediate threat to officers or bystanders, and the amount of force used relative to the threat and resistance. So even if an officer thinks the force was necessary, a reasonable officer might still view it as excessive under the circumstances, which would render it unconstitutional.