Which Amendment should be used to analyze an officer's use of force in a case?

• A. First Amendment
• B. Second Amendment
• C. Fourth Amendment
• D. Sixth Amendment

Answer: (C)

Understanding officer use of force falls under the Fourth Amendment, which protects people from unreasonable seizures by government actors. When an officer uses force during an arrest or detention, it counts as a seizure, and courts judge whether that force was objectively reasonable under the total circumstances. This reasonableness standard comes from Graham v. Connor, focusing on the balance of factors such as the seriousness of the alleged crime, whether the suspect posed an immediate threat, and whether the person was actively resisting or attempting to flee. Other amendments cover different rights—First Amendment protects speech, assembly; Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms; Sixth Amendment concerns counsel and fair trials—not the use of force during police restraint. So, the Fourth Amendment provides the proper framework to analyze use-of-force claims.