Which action best describes Active Resistance?

• A. Verbal de-escalation
• B. Pulling or pushing away and blocking
• C. Use of pepper spray
• D. None of the above

Answer: (B)

Active Resistance is when a person being controlled actively uses physical movements to defeat or hinder the attempt to gain control. Pulling away, pushing away, and blocking are classic examples because they are deliberate, voluntary actions that create space or block the responder’s grip, showing a clear intent to resist the control effort.

Verbal de-escalation is about reducing risk through communication, not a physical resistance behavior. Pepper spray is a tool used by the responder to gain or maintain control, not a description of the subject’s actions. None of the above would be correct if the described behavior weren’t a match, but pulling away, pushing away, and blocking directly illustrate active resistance.