Utah POST Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) Practice Exam 2025 - Free LEO Practice Questions and Study Guide

An officer may legally detain an individual if they have reasonable suspicion that the person is involved in criminal activity. Reasonable suspicion is a legal standard that is lower than probable cause, and it allows officers to take temporary investigative actions to confirm or dispel their suspicions. This standard is based on specific and articulable facts observed by the officer, rather than merely a hunch or unparticular feeling.

The concept of reasonable suspicion is critical in law enforcement as it balances the need for public safety with individual rights. When officers have reasonable suspicion, they are permitted to stop and question an individual to conduct further investigation, ensuring any further actions are justified and lawful.

Detaining a person based solely on a search warrant relates to searching or seizing property and does not address the situation of detaining individuals without evidence of a crime. Reporting a crime does not automatically allow officers to detain someone without additional context. Detaining someone just based on personal feelings would infringe on constitutional rights and is not supported by legal standards. Thus, the correct choice highlights the essential principle that guides lawful detainment in the context of law enforcement.