Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Training Academy (NVCJTA) Exam 2 Practice

Probable cause can justify a warrantless arrest, and a credible eyewitness can provide that probable cause even if the officer did not personally witness the act. In a destruction of property case, if an eyewitness saw the act and can identify the person who destroyed the property, the officer has a basis to arrest without a warrant because there is reasonable evidence that the person committed the crime. The critical factor is the reliability of the eyewitness and the link they provide between the suspect and the destruction; the officer’s own observation isn’t required. That’s why the statement is true.