Which of the following describes the Ready Stance?

• A. Knee bent, hand at chest
• B. Hands up in guard position
• C. Baton resting on shoulder with end of baton pointing at subject's chin
• D. Elbow extended above head

Answer: (C)

Ready Stance is a posture that keeps the officer prepared to respond with the baton while maintaining balance and readiness. In this stance the baton rests on the shoulder with the end pointed toward the subject’s chin. This position brings the baton into quick reach, allows a smooth, controlled draw, and keeps the arm and shoulder in a strong, protected alignment. It also helps the officer maintain a stable stance, can quickly project authority, and provides a direct line for a targeted strike if needed, all while leaving the non-dominant hand available to create distance or protect.

The other positions don’t meet that readiness: a knee-bent posture with the hand at the chest isn’t optimized for rapid baton access or line-of-threat visibility; hands up in a guard position focuses on empty-hand blocking rather than baton readiness; and an elbow extended above the head disrupts balance, exposes the head, and slows response.