What is the primary purpose of using a knee strike in control techniques?

The primary purpose of using a knee strike in control techniques is to distract and control resistance. Knee strikes are effective in inflicting sudden, targeted pain, which can disrupt a subject's focus and ability to resist. This momentary distraction can create an opportunity for an officer to gain control over the situation, enabling them to apply further defensive tactics or secure the subject without escalating the confrontation. The knee strike serves as a tool to incapacitate by targeting vulnerable areas of the body, thereby reducing the subject’s ability to continue resisting or engaging physically.

This approach allows for a more tactical and controlled response, aligning with the broader goals of de-escalation and maintaining authority in potentially dangerous encounters. Other options, while they may have their own relevance in different contexts of defensive tactics, do not capture the specific function and strategic application of the knee strike in the context of controlling resistance.