MCOLES State Licensing Practice Exam

Which of the following offenses allows a police officer to make an arrest?

1. Driving Under the Influence

2. Failure to Secure Vehicle

3. Possession of Stolen Property

4. Assault on an Officer

The correct answer is: Driving Under the Influence

Driving Under the Influence (DUI) is an offense that allows a police officer to make an arrest based on a reasonable suspicion or probable cause. This type of offense poses a significant risk to public safety because it involves operating a motor vehicle while impaired. Police officers are trained to identify signs of impairment, such as erratic driving, slurred speech, or a strong odor of alcohol, which can lead to an arrest for DUI. Moreover, DUI statutes typically include specific legal provisions that grant law enforcement the authority to arrest an individual without a warrant when they have probable cause to believe the individual is operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. In contrast, while failure to secure a vehicle may warrant a citation or ticket, it does not generally constitute a serious enough offense to allow for an arrest. Possession of stolen property can lead to arrest, but the context of the situation and evidence must support that the individual possessed the items knowingly and unlawfully. Assault on an officer is an arrestable offense as well, but in the context of comparing these to DUI and generally, DUI is one of the most commonly recognized reasons for immediate arrest due to its implications on public safety.