Graham v. Connor — Use of Force

NATIONAL

Graham v. Connor, 490 U.S. 386 (1989)

Force is judged from the perspective of a reasonable officer on the scene, without 20/20 hindsight. Work the four factors before and after any force.

The four Graham factorsThe severity of the crime at issue.Whether the suspect poses an immediate threat to the safety of the officers or others.Whether the suspect is actively resisting arrest.Whether the suspect is attempting to evade arrest by flight.

Document afterwardsArticulate the specific facts behind each factor that applied — not conclusions.Note warnings given, de-escalation attempted, and injuries (or absence of injury) observed.Preserve bodycam/dashcam and notify a supervisor per agency policy.