MCOLES State Licensing Practice Exam

When can an anonymous tip become admissible in court?

1. When your supervisor authorizes you to constitute the tip as an evidentiary lead

2. When you corroborate the caller's information with your own observations

3. When you decide to make an arrest and have no other evidence to do so

4. When the caller is known from previous tips

The correct answer is: When you corroborate the caller's information with your own observations

An anonymous tip can become admissible in court when it is corroborated with the officer's own observations. This process of corroboration serves to validate the information presented in the tip, providing a basis for further investigation or action. Courts often require some level of verification to ensure that the tip has merit and is not merely based on speculation or unsubstantiated claims. When officers corroborate the details of an anonymous tip with their own observations, they can build a stronger case, as it supports the credibility of the information received. This often involves confirming details that the tipster provided, which can demonstrate that there is reasonable suspicion or probable cause to justify further actions, such as an investigatory stop or an arrest. Other factors, such as the familiarity of the caller's identity from previous tips or the authorization from a supervisor, may not provide sufficient legal grounding on their own for the admissibility of the tip. Similarly, making an arrest solely based on an anonymous tip without corroboration would not meet the necessary legal standards required in court, as arrests typically require probable cause that is supported by more than just the tip itself.