Probable cause refers to:

• A. A type of police equipment
• B. Reasonable cause for issuing a search warrant or making an arrest; more than mere suspicion
• C. A legal code of ethics
• D. A process of detention

Answer: (B)

Probable cause is the level of justification required for arresting someone or obtaining a search warrant. It means there is a reasonable belief, based on the totality of the circumstances, that a crime has been committed and that evidence or contraband is likely to be found in the place to be searched, or that the person being arrested has committed or is committing a crime. It is more than mere suspicion but not a guarantee of guilt. For example, if an officer observes a suspect fleeing a burglary with items that match the scene and has corroborating witnesses or other evidence, that combination of facts can establish probable cause for an arrest. The same standard applies when a judge considers issuing a search warrant: there must be enough information to reasonably believe the place to be searched contains evidence of a crime. The other options don’t fit because probable cause is not a type of police equipment, not a legal code of ethics, and not a process of detention.