Think fast: if you were faced with a potentially violent individual, how would you react?

For police officers, the split-second decision of how to respond to dangerous scenarios is based on more than just instinct.

Officers across the province adhere to a “Use of Force” model set out in Regulation 926 of the Police Services Act as well as the Provincial Adequacy Standards and Police Services Board policy.

In light of last week’s altercation between a Western student and police officers, the Gazette asked police officers about their training and how exactly the “Use of Force” model, as seen above, functions.

“Most police forces have a Use of Force continuum — that assists officers in their training to approach a situation,” Marc LaPorte, media relations co-ordinator for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Ontario, explained.

Force ranges from police presence and communication to soft physical control, hard physical control, intermediate weapons –– such as batons or tasers –– and finally lethal force.

Western’s Campus Community Police Services director, Elgin Austen, said while campus police do not carry tasers or firearms, the rest of the continuum applies.

“It’s the standard across the province of Ontario and all the training is the same,” he explained. “You’re able under the criminal code to use the force necessary to make the apprehension […] [officers] always use one step of force above the person that’s resisting.”

LaPorte provided some examples of the model’s application. He explained a co-operative individual would merely require communication, whereas a passively resisting individual may necessitate handcuffs.

Intermediate weapons, he said, come into play when someone becomes physically agressive.

However, LaPorte added the continuum does not have a strict methodology.

“It all depends on the officer and the perception of the officer,” he said.

“What I feel at six-foot, 200 pounds is assault may differ from someone who is smaller or who has different experience,” echoed Michael Arntfield, a lecturer on police in the media in Western’s media, information and technoculture program, who also has eight years of experience as a trained police officer.

Arntfield said the circular design of the continuum means police must continually reassess their level of force in a given situation. He added officers are trained rigorously from day one and throughout their career as to how to follow the model.

“A significant portion of police budgets deal with standards and oversight,” confirmed Austen, adding CCPS officers are trained regularly and receive weapon certification annually.