Which defense protects the officer from personal liability?

• A. Qualified Immunity
• B. Qualify Immunity
• C. Immunity from prosecution
• D. Defensive Immunity

Answer: (B)

Qualified immunity shields a law enforcement officer from personal civil liability for actions taken while performing official duties, as long as those actions don’t violate clearly established statutory or constitutional rights that a reasonable officer would know at the time. The key test looks at two elements: was the officer’s conduct reasonable given the facts and information available at the moment, and was the right at issue clearly established by law when the conduct occurred. If the officer acted reasonably and within their authority, and the rights were not clearly established, liability is avoided. If the rights were clearly established or the officer acted outside the bounds of what is reasonable, qualified immunity may not apply.

Other options don’t fit because they describe different kinds of protection (criminal prosecution immunity) or aren’t recognized doctrines, and the standard term is qualified immunity.