Which principle says if you find a weapon, assume there is another?

• A. Stabilize and handcuff the subject before searching
• B. Search systematically and thoroughly
• C. Search from behind the subject, not the front
• D. If you find a weapon, assume there is another

Answer: (D)

When you encounter a weapon, you prioritize safety by treating the situation as having the potential for more threats. The principle here is to assume there could be another weapon, even if you’ve already found one. This mindset keeps you vigilant, shapes how you control the scene, and guides you to use safe positions, deliberate movement, and thorough search techniques to prevent being surprised by a second weapon. It reinforces that you should maintain cover, keep hands and movement controlled, and approach the search in a cautious, methodical way so you’re not caught off guard.

Stabilizing and handcuffing before searching, or searching systematically, are important safety practices, and there’s overlap with this principle. However, the explicit rule about assuming there is another weapon is the specific mindset that directly drives the level of vigilance needed when any weapon is found. The other options describe legitimate methods, but they don’t capture the immediate safety principle that one weapon can imply there may be more.