Probable cause may be established through other people. Which source is listed as an example?

Probable cause may be established through other people. Which source is listed as an example?

• A. Witness/informant/dispatch
• B. Signals for detection of explosives/narcotics
• C. DNA/video footage/gun casings/audio recording
• D. The length/depth/and type of their experience or training

Answer: (A)

Probable cause can be formed from information provided by others who have firsthand knowledge about the crime. A witness who saw the incident, an informant who provides details about a suspect, or dispatch relaying a report about a crime or a suspect can create a reasonable belief that a crime is being or has been committed and that the person is involved, especially when the information is credible and trustworthy. These sources supplement an officer’s own observations and can move the assessment from mere suspicion to probable cause. The other options refer to different kinds of inputs: technical signals used for detection, or physical/digital evidence like DNA or video, or the officer’s own training and experience. While those factors can influence investigations, they are not examples of information from other people that establish probable cause.

Probable cause can be formed from information provided by others who have firsthand knowledge about the crime. A witness who saw the incident, an informant who provides details about a suspect, or dispatch relaying a report about a crime or a suspect can create a reasonable belief that a crime is being or has been committed and that the person is involved, especially when the information is credible and trustworthy. These sources supplement an officer’s own observations and can move the assessment from mere suspicion to probable cause.

The other options refer to different kinds of inputs: technical signals used for detection, or physical/digital evidence like DNA or video, or the officer’s own training and experience. While those factors can influence investigations, they are not examples of information from other people that establish probable cause.