Hicks Force Matrix

Question 1

LVL 1 - Presence

Answer 1

Suspect is there, on scene, in attendance of suspicious activity.

Question 2

LVL 2 - Verbal Resistance

Answer 2

Suspect may verbally refuse to comply. May threaten officer with further resistance. Or may not respond to officer at all.

Question 3

LVL 3 - Passive Physical Response

Answer 3

Suspect physically refuses to comply or respond. He/she does not make any attempt to physically defeat officer but forces officer to employ physical manipulation.

Question 4

LVL 4 - Active Physical Resistance

Answer 4

Suspect makes physical evasive movements to defeat officer’s attempts at control. May be in form of bracing/tensing or pulling/pushing away.

Question 5

LVL 5 - Aggressive Physical Resistance

Answer 5

Suspect makes overt. hostile attacking movements, which may cause injury, but not likely to cause death or SBI.

Question 6

LVL 6 - Aggravated Physical Resistance

Answer 6

Suspect makes overt, hostile attacking movements with or without a weapon with the intent and apparent ability to cause death or SBI.

Question 7

LVL 1 - Officer Presence

Answer 7

Arrival: Officer is there, on scene. Includes proper voice and/or other identification, body language and awareness.
Interview Stance: Adopts stance outside reactionary zone. Firearm leg is placed back or away from suspect. Weight distributed equally over both feet.

Question 8

LVL 2 - Communication

Answer 8

Verbal & Non-verbal: Two-way, controlled, non-emotional communication aimed at problem identification and/or resolution.
Verbal Direction: Officer tells suspect to engage in, or refrain from, a specific action or non-action.
Touch: Officer employs a soft assisting touch to comfort, console or to obtain the attention of a suspect in a non-confronting situation.

Question 9

LVL 3 - Physical Manipulation

Answer 9

Restraint Devices: Mechanical tools used to restrain suspect’s movement and facilitate searching. I.E. handcuffs, flex cuffs, leg irons, belly chains, etc.
Transporters: Techniques used to control and/or move from point A to B with minimum effort.
Take Downs: Techniques that direct, in a controlling manner, a suspect to the ground in order to limit resistance.

Question 10

LVL 4 - Intermediate Weapons

Answer 10

Weapons that are primarily used to control a suspect such as a baton.

Question 11

LVL 5 - Incapacitating Control

Answer 11

Techniques used to stun or render temporarily unconscious or unable to continue to resist. May be delivered with or without impact weapons, such as a strike to major nerve area. May have moderate potential for physical harm.

Question 12

LVL 6 - Deadly Force

Answer 12

Techniques that may result in death or SBI, such as impact weapons strike to head or use of firearms. Last resort.