What is the legal standard for an officer to make an arrest?

The legal standard for an officer to make an arrest is often described as "probable cause." This means that an officer must have a reasonable belief, based upon factual evidence or reasonable inferences drawn from that evidence, that a crime has been committed and that the individual being arrested is connected to that crime. Probable cause requires a higher level of certainty than reasonable suspicion, which is often used for stops and searches, but it is lower than the requirement of "beyond a reasonable doubt," which is the standard used in criminal trials to convict a defendant.

Additionally, the "preponderance of evidence" standard is typically used in civil cases to establish that something is more likely true than not. Thus, probable cause is the correct legal standard officers must meet to make an arrest, ensuring that individuals are not wrongfully deprived of their liberty without sufficient justification.