Which of the following are common non-lethal options for a Level 2 officer?

• A. Primary option is lethal force.
• B. Only handcuffs and leg restraints.
• C. Verbal de-escalation, presence and distance, physical restraint techniques within policy, and possibly chemical spray or baton depending on policy and training.
• D. The use of vehicle ramming as first response.

Answer: (C)

Non-lethal options aim to resolve incidents safely by prioritizing de-escalation and controlled restraint within policy. A Level 2 officer is trained to use verbal de-escalation to calm the situation and gain voluntary compliance, maintain a presence and appropriate distance to create space and signal control, and apply physical restraint techniques that are within policy and training to safely control a subject. If policy and training allow, they may also use chemical spray or a baton as intermediate tools when de-escalation isn’t enough and it’s appropriate to do so. The emphasis is on using the least force necessary and escalating only when required to protect lives.

Lethal force as the primary approach isn’t aligned with this non-lethal toolkit. Relying solely on handcuffs and leg restraints misses the broader, graduated options available. Vehicle ramming as a first response is dangerous and not a sanctioned, appropriate response for a Level 2 officer.