USCG BTM UPDATED ACTUAL
Questions and CORRECT Answers
What is authority? - CORRECT ANSWER - The government's legal power to act
What is jurisdiction? - CORRECT ANSWER - The government's power to exercise legal
authority over its persons, vessels, and territories
What authority does 14 U.S.C. 89 (a) give the Coast Guard? - CORRECT ANSWER - The
Coast Guard may make searches, examinations, arrests, seizures, inquiries, and inspections upon
the high seas and waters which the U.S. has jurisdiction
How can 14 U.S.C. 89 (a) be explained to the boating public? - CORRECT ANSWER -
The Coast Guard is authorized by 14 U.S.C. 89 to board any vessel subject to the jurisdiction or
to the operation of any law of the United States, on the high seas and waters which the U.S. has
jurisdiction, at any time, day or night, for the prevention, detection, and suppression of violations
of the laws of the United States.
What are the boarding team members scope of responsibilities? - CORRECT ANSWER -
1. Reflect credit onto the Coast Guard by the manner in which they conduct boardings.
2. Be responsive to the public for education of boating safety and legal requirements.
3. Assist the boarding officer as necessary.
What are the jurisdictional limitations (jurisdictional triangle)? - CORRECT ANSWER -
1. Substantive law (law that prohibits certain action or requires affirmative conduct).
2. Vessel status/flag
3. Location
What is required for boardings of U.S. vessels in foreign territorial waters? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Coastal nation permission
,Foreign vessels temporarily using waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction are ___ from U.S.
numbering and safety carriage requirements. - CORRECT ANSWER - exempt
Which vessels are not subject to U.S. jurisdiction? - CORRECT ANSWER - Foreign
government-owned non-commercial vessels, and foreign naval or military vessels
Do units and personnel have a "duty to retreat" to avoid law enforcement situations? -
CORRECT ANSWER - No, however, retreat is an alternative and may be the most
reasonable decision, depending upon the circumstances.
What is non-deadly force? - CORRECT ANSWER - Any force other than deadly force.
What are the situations in which non-deadly force may be used? - CORRECT ANSWER -
1. Individual self-defense
2. To compel compliance with an order the Coast Guard has authority to issue
3. To prevent a federal crime, or where authorized, a serious state or foreign crime for which the
Coast Guard has authority to act on behalf of that state or foreign government
4. To affect a lawful arrest or prevent an escape when there is probable cause that the suspect
committed a federal crime (or non-federal crime if lawfully acting under non-federal authority).
5. To prevent the theft of, intentional damage to, or destruction of property (including
information) that the Coast Guard has authority to protect.
What is the Use of Force Policy? - CORRECT ANSWER - Only the force reasonably
necessary under the circumstances may be used. Force shall not be used where assigned duties
can be discharged without it. Excessive force may never be used.
Are BTMs authorized to fire warning shots? - CORRECT ANSWER - NO
Name the 3 types of self defense and their definitions. - CORRECT ANSWER - 1.
Individual: defending oneself or other persons from imminent danger
2. Unit: defending a particular unit of US military forces or law enforcement agencies
, 3. National: defense of U.S., U.S. forces, and, in certain circumstances, U.S. persons and their
property, and/or U.S. commercial assets from a hostile act or demonstration of hostile intent
What chapter in the MLEM is Use of Force Policy found? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Chapter 4
What are the 4 types of subjects? - CORRECT ANSWER - 1. Passive compliant: follows
the officer's task direction and verbal commands; will not harm the officer
2. Passive resistor: does not follow the officer's request or verbal directions but offers no
physical resistance to the officer's attempt to gain control
3. Active resistor: subject does not follow the officer's request or verbal directions, offers
physical resistance that prevents the officer of gaining control
4. Active aggressor: does not follow the officer's requests or verbal directions, attempts to harm
the officer
What is the use of force continuum? - CORRECT ANSWER - 1. Officer presence
2. Verbal commands
3. Control techniques
4. Aggressive response techniques
5. Intermediate weapons
6. Deadly force
What is officer presence? - CORRECT ANSWER - Appearance, demeanor, verbal and
non-verbal communication that create an atmosphere of compliance
Why was the Use of Force Continuum created? - CORRECT ANSWER - To show the
different levels of force authorized when receiving certain types of resistance; the subject's
actions primarily determine the appropriate level of force that can be used in a specific situation.
Questions and CORRECT Answers
What is authority? - CORRECT ANSWER - The government's legal power to act
What is jurisdiction? - CORRECT ANSWER - The government's power to exercise legal
authority over its persons, vessels, and territories
What authority does 14 U.S.C. 89 (a) give the Coast Guard? - CORRECT ANSWER - The
Coast Guard may make searches, examinations, arrests, seizures, inquiries, and inspections upon
the high seas and waters which the U.S. has jurisdiction
How can 14 U.S.C. 89 (a) be explained to the boating public? - CORRECT ANSWER -
The Coast Guard is authorized by 14 U.S.C. 89 to board any vessel subject to the jurisdiction or
to the operation of any law of the United States, on the high seas and waters which the U.S. has
jurisdiction, at any time, day or night, for the prevention, detection, and suppression of violations
of the laws of the United States.
What are the boarding team members scope of responsibilities? - CORRECT ANSWER -
1. Reflect credit onto the Coast Guard by the manner in which they conduct boardings.
2. Be responsive to the public for education of boating safety and legal requirements.
3. Assist the boarding officer as necessary.
What are the jurisdictional limitations (jurisdictional triangle)? - CORRECT ANSWER -
1. Substantive law (law that prohibits certain action or requires affirmative conduct).
2. Vessel status/flag
3. Location
What is required for boardings of U.S. vessels in foreign territorial waters? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Coastal nation permission
,Foreign vessels temporarily using waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction are ___ from U.S.
numbering and safety carriage requirements. - CORRECT ANSWER - exempt
Which vessels are not subject to U.S. jurisdiction? - CORRECT ANSWER - Foreign
government-owned non-commercial vessels, and foreign naval or military vessels
Do units and personnel have a "duty to retreat" to avoid law enforcement situations? -
CORRECT ANSWER - No, however, retreat is an alternative and may be the most
reasonable decision, depending upon the circumstances.
What is non-deadly force? - CORRECT ANSWER - Any force other than deadly force.
What are the situations in which non-deadly force may be used? - CORRECT ANSWER -
1. Individual self-defense
2. To compel compliance with an order the Coast Guard has authority to issue
3. To prevent a federal crime, or where authorized, a serious state or foreign crime for which the
Coast Guard has authority to act on behalf of that state or foreign government
4. To affect a lawful arrest or prevent an escape when there is probable cause that the suspect
committed a federal crime (or non-federal crime if lawfully acting under non-federal authority).
5. To prevent the theft of, intentional damage to, or destruction of property (including
information) that the Coast Guard has authority to protect.
What is the Use of Force Policy? - CORRECT ANSWER - Only the force reasonably
necessary under the circumstances may be used. Force shall not be used where assigned duties
can be discharged without it. Excessive force may never be used.
Are BTMs authorized to fire warning shots? - CORRECT ANSWER - NO
Name the 3 types of self defense and their definitions. - CORRECT ANSWER - 1.
Individual: defending oneself or other persons from imminent danger
2. Unit: defending a particular unit of US military forces or law enforcement agencies
, 3. National: defense of U.S., U.S. forces, and, in certain circumstances, U.S. persons and their
property, and/or U.S. commercial assets from a hostile act or demonstration of hostile intent
What chapter in the MLEM is Use of Force Policy found? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Chapter 4
What are the 4 types of subjects? - CORRECT ANSWER - 1. Passive compliant: follows
the officer's task direction and verbal commands; will not harm the officer
2. Passive resistor: does not follow the officer's request or verbal directions but offers no
physical resistance to the officer's attempt to gain control
3. Active resistor: subject does not follow the officer's request or verbal directions, offers
physical resistance that prevents the officer of gaining control
4. Active aggressor: does not follow the officer's requests or verbal directions, attempts to harm
the officer
What is the use of force continuum? - CORRECT ANSWER - 1. Officer presence
2. Verbal commands
3. Control techniques
4. Aggressive response techniques
5. Intermediate weapons
6. Deadly force
What is officer presence? - CORRECT ANSWER - Appearance, demeanor, verbal and
non-verbal communication that create an atmosphere of compliance
Why was the Use of Force Continuum created? - CORRECT ANSWER - To show the
different levels of force authorized when receiving certain types of resistance; the subject's
actions primarily determine the appropriate level of force that can be used in a specific situation.
