Which of the following is NOT a level of control?

• A. Officer presence
• B. Verbal direction
• C. Empty hand control
• D. Pressure points

Answer: (D)

The idea being tested is the progression of options officers use to gain control, from the least invasive to more assertive, often summarized as officer presence, verbal commands, and empty-hand control. These are the recognized levels in many training curriculums and use-of-force continua.

Pressure points, while they may be discussed as a technique within empty-hand control or as a method used to gain compliance in some programs, are not treated as a separate level of control in the standard progression. They rely on specific points and can carry higher risk of injury, which is why they’re not listed as their own level in the continuum. Since officer presence, verbal direction, and empty-hand control represent distinct, structured stages of control, the option describing pressure points does not fit as its own level.