Which statute authorizes peace officers to use force during an arrest?

• A. 17-4-20(b)
• B. 16-3-20
• C. 16-3-21
• D. 16-3-24.2

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that peace officers are allowed to use force during an arrest only when it is reasonable and necessary to accomplish the arrest, protect themselves or others, and prevent escape. That permission is found in the statute that explicitly authorizes force in the arrest context.

The specific statute 17-4-20(b) provides that authorization, making it the best answer because it directly ties the use of force to the act of arrest itself. It sets the scope to be reasonable and proportional to the circumstances, rather than leaving the officer without guidance or allowing force in inappropriate situations.

The other statutes don’t provide the same direct authorization for force during an arrest. They may cover related topics—such as general self-defense standards, use-of-force definitions in other contexts, or procedural rules—but they do not establish the explicit arrest-related permission that 17-4-20(b) does.