Under Graham v. Connor, reasonableness is judged from whose perspective?

• A. The suspect's perspective
• B. The officer's perspective on the scene
• C. The judge's personal views
• D. The department's policy manual

Answer: (B)

Under Graham v. Connor, the reasonableness of force is judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene. The Court emphasized that evaluating use of force with the benefit of hindsight would misjudge the pressures and uncertainties officers face in the moment. The standard is objective, but it looks at what the officer would have perceived and believed given the information available at the time, including factors like the severity of the alleged crime, whether the suspect posed an immediate threat, and whether the suspect was actively resisting or attempting to flee. So the correct perspective is the officer on the scene, not the suspect, a judge’s personal views, or departmental policy alone.