What is the purpose of a use of force report?

• A. To document any use of force incidents and attach it to an incident or disciplinary report.
• B. To summarize inmate educational progress.
• C. To authorize a search without an incident.
• D. To describe routine patrols.

Answer: (A)

The use of force report is meant to create a formal, auditable record of any time force is used. It documents what happened, who was involved, what kind of force was used, why it was deemed necessary, and any injuries or medical needs that resulted. It also captures de-escalation efforts, the sequence of events, and witnesses, so supervisors can review for policy compliance and accountability. Attaching the report to an incident or disciplinary file ensures the incident is fully documented and ready for investigation, review, or potential administrative or legal action. The other topics—educational progress, authorizing a search, or describing routine patrols—do not involve recording force incidents, so they aren’t the purpose of a use of force report.