What is the duty to intervene?

• A. Officers are required to intervene when another officer is using excessive force.
• B. Intervention is optional and not required.
• C. Intervening is only required when there is an immediate threat to life.
• D. Supervisors will decide whether to intervene after the fact.

Answer: (A)

The duty to intervene means that officers have a responsibility to step in when they witness a fellow officer using excessive or unlawful force. This isn’t optional; it’s an obligation designed to protect people’s safety and rights, and to hold one’s peers accountable for conduct on the street. On scene, an officer should act to de-escalate if safe, intervene physically if necessary and safe, call for backup, render aid if someone is hurt, and document the incident so it can be reviewed later. Not intervening can lead to disciplinary action and potential legal consequences, because allowing unnecessary harm to continue undermines trust and the integrity of the force.

The other ideas don’t fit because intervention isn’t optional, and it isn’t limited only to situations where there’s an immediate life-threatening risk. And the responsibility isn’t deferred to supervisors after the fact; officers on the scene bear the duty to intervene when they witness excessive force and then report what happened.