3.2 Subject Behaviour Categories: Cooperative to Lethal Threat
Key Takeaways
- The NUFM classifies subject actions into five distinct behavioral categories: Cooperative, Passive Resistant, Active Resistant, Assaultive, and Grievous Bodily Harm or Death.
- Cooperative subjects respond positively to verbal directions and present no physical resistance whatsoever.
- Passive Resistant subjects refuse compliance through physical inaction or dead-weight tactics without aggressive energy.
- Active Resistant subjects use physical force solely to escape or avoid control, distinct from Assaultive subjects who apply force to inflict harm.
- Security workers must recognize pre-attack kinesic indicators to anticipate transitions into assaultive or lethal threat categories.
3.2 Subject Behaviour Categories: Cooperative to Lethal Threat
Accurate, real-time identification of subject behavior is a foundational requirement for Advanced Security Training (AST) professionals. Under the National Use of Force Model (NUFM), subject behaviors are classified into five distinct categories along a spectrum of risk and resistance. Because security personnel are legally required to justify their response based on the subject's actions, misinterpreting a subject's behavior category can lead to catastrophic errors: either deploying excessive force (resulting in criminal charges under Criminal Code Section 26) or deploying an inadequate response (resulting in severe officer injury or death).
The Five Subject Behaviour Categories
| Behaviour Category | Primary Definition | Kinesic & Physical Indicators | Operational Security Scenario | Force Threshold Counterpart |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Cooperative | Subject complies fully with lawful directions and offers no physical resistance. | Relaxed posture, open hands, calm vocal tone, direct eye contact. | Patron producing ID or leaving property upon verbal request. | Officer Presence & Communication |
| 2. Passive Resistant | Subject refuses directions through non-violent physical inaction or dead weight. | Going limp, sitting down, locking arms with others, ignoring commands. | Sit-in trespassers refusing to stand or walk out of a building lobby. | Soft Physical Control & Tactical Guidance |
| 3. Active Resistant | Subject physically resists or flees to prevent control, without attacking the officer. | Pulling arms away, sprinting away, bracing limbs against doorway, breaking grips. | Shoplifter yanking their arm free to run toward an emergency exit. | Soft Control, Escalated Escort Holds, Takedowns |
| 4. Assaultive | Subject attempts, threatens, or applies physical force against the officer or others. | Punching, kicking, biting, spitting, aggressive wrestling, throwing objects. | Intoxicated venue patron swinging a fist at a security guard's head. | Hard Physical Control, Empty-Hand Strikes, Stuns |
| 5. Grievous Bodily Harm / Death | Subject exhibits actions reasonably believed capable of causing severe injury or death. | Brandishing knives, discharging firearms, bludgeoning with weapons, strangulation. | Trespasser lunging at a guard with a broken glass bottle or edged blade. | Lethal Force / Absolute Last Resort Tactics |
Deep-Dive Category Analysis
1. Cooperative
A cooperative subject presents zero physical resistance. They willingly comply with verbal directions, produce identification upon request, and exit premises when directed under the BC Trespass Act. The security worker maintains a professional demeanor, utilizing Officer Presence and clear Communication.
2. Passive Resistant
Passive resistance is characterized by non-compliance achieved through physical inaction. The subject does not assault the officer, nor do they actively run away or violently struggle. Instead, they use dead-weight tactics, go limp, sit on the floor, or lock arms with adjacent individuals.
- Legal Distinction: Under Section 494 citizen arrest scenarios, lifting or guiding a passive resistant subject requires Soft Physical Control (such as joint lock pressure or team carry techniques). Security personnel must take extreme care to avoid injuring passive subjects, as aggressive physical striking against a passive subject constitutes criminal assault.
3. Active Resistant
Active resistance represents a critical tactical threshold. The subject uses active physical energy, muscle tension, or movement to prevent the security worker from establishing physical control or applying handcuffs.
- Key Operational Identifiers: Pulling limbs away from a guard's grasp, twisting out of an escort hold, bracing arms tightly against the chest to block handcuffing, or sprinting away to evade capture.
- Crucial Distinction: Active resistance is strictly defensive or evasive. The subject's energy is focused on escaping control, not on inflicting bodily harm on the officer.
4. Assaultive
When a subject transitions from active resistance to assaultive behavior, the nature of the confrontation changes fundamentally. Under Section 265 of the Criminal Code of Canada, assault occurs when a person applies force intentionally to another person, directly or indirectly, or attempts or threatens by act or gesture to apply force.
- Physical Actions: Striking with fists, kicking, headbutting, biting, attempting to tackle the security worker, grabbing the guard's equipment belt, or throwing heavy objects.
- Verbal Threats with Immediate Ability: An assaultive subject may also express explicit verbal threats of physical violence while adopting aggressive physical postures (e.g., shouting "I am going to knock you out" while advancing with clenched fists).
5. Grievous Bodily Harm or Death
This represents the highest threat category on the NUFM. "Grievous bodily harm" is legally defined as severe, severe bodily injury that seriously interferes with health or comfort and is likely to be permanent or life-threatening (e.g., bone fractures, organ damage, severe lacerations, loss of sight).
- Threat Indicators: Deployment or brandishing of lethal weapons (firearms, knives, machetes, needles, heavy blunt instruments), choked strangulation, swarming attacks by multiple individuals targeting a downed officer's head, or vehicle ramming.
Pre-Attack Kinesic Indicators
Subjects rarely launch an assault without displaying subtle physiological and behavioral warning signs. Advanced security professionals must train themselves to detect pre-attack kinesics during the Assess stage:
- Target Glancing: The subject repeatedly scans specific vulnerable body targets on the security worker (such as the chin, throat, or duty belt) or looks for exit routes and cameras.
- Facial and Vocal Changes: Sudden cessation of speech ("the quiet before the storm"), severe jaw clenching, flared nostrils, aggressive stare down (thousand-yard stare), or rapid flushing of the neck and face.
- Body Posturing and Stance Modification: Blading the body (stepping the dominant foot back to load a strike), dropping the center of gravity, lowering the head, or shrugging shoulders to protect the neck.
- Motor Activity: Clenching and unclenching fists, wiping hands on clothing (sweaty palms due to adrenaline release), pacing erratically, or removing jackets/hats to eliminate movement restrictions.
A protestor inside a corporate building sits on the floor, locks their arms around a pillar, and refuses to stand when ordered to leave. Under the NUFM, how is this behavior classified?
What is the primary tactical distinction between an Active Resistant subject and an Assaultive subject?
An individual confronted in a restricted facility draws a 6-inch hunting knife and lunges toward the security worker. Which NUFM subject behavior category applies?
Which of the following is recognized as a classic pre-attack kinesic indicator during a security assessment?