What level of force do we use?

• A. Excessive force
• B. Reasonable force
• C. Necessary force
• D. Minimal force

Answer: (C)

In school safety contexts, the level of force used should be what is necessary to stop the threat and protect people, while trying to de-escalate and control the situation first. The idea behind using “necessary force” is that you only apply as much force as the moment requires to regain safety, and you stop as soon as control is achieved. This framing keeps the focus on getting to safety with restraint, not on overpowering the situation.

For example, you would use enough control to disengage and secure the scene when a student is actively attacking, but you stop once you have control. If the threat escalates, you escalate proportionally to meet the danger, always avoiding more force than needed. Excessive force is applying more than what’s required and can cause unnecessary harm, while minimal force implies the least could be used regardless of whether it resolves the threat, and reasonable force is a broader standard that doesn’t capture the moment-to-moment necessity this term emphasizes.