What is required to make an arrest without a warrant?

To make an arrest without a warrant, the requirement is probable cause. Probable cause means that law enforcement officers must have a reasonable belief, based on facts and circumstances, that a person has committed a crime or is committing a crime. This standard is higher than reasonable suspicion, which allows officers to stop and briefly detain an individual but does not grant the authority to arrest.

Probable cause can be established through various means, such as direct observation of criminal activity, reliable witness statements, or evidence gathered from ongoing investigations. This legal threshold is crucial in protecting citizens' rights and ensuring that arrests are justified and not arbitrary.

In contrast, reasonable suspicion does not meet the threshold needed for an arrest, as it only requires a minimal amount of evidence to justify a stop. Citizen consent involves approval from an individual to conduct a search or make an arrest, which is not a requirement for an officer to proceed with an arrest. Surveillance evidence can support probable cause but is not a standalone requirement for making an arrest.