Which of the following is not a subject action on the Totality of the circumstances chart?

• A. Inactive Resistance
• B. Verbal Direction
• C. Active Aggression
• D. Passive Resistance

Answer: (B)

Understanding how the Totality of the Circumstances chart works is about identifying what the subject is doing, not what the officer is telling them to do. Verbal direction is an officer command, not a physical action by the subject, so it isn’t listed as a subject action on the chart. The other terms describe observable behaviors from the subject during a confrontation: passive or inactive resistance (noncompliant without fighting back), active resistance (physical movement to hinder restraint), and active aggression (the subject using force toward the officer). Recognizing this distinction helps guide the appropriate response based on the subject’s actions.