What constitutes a false arrest in Colorado?

A false arrest in Colorado occurs when an individual is detained without proper legal justification, which is defined by the requirement of probable cause. Probable cause refers to the reasonable belief that a person has committed, is committing, or will commit a crime. If a security officer detains someone without this reasonable basis, it can be classified as false arrest, violating an individual's right to be free from unlawful detention.

The concept of probable cause is essential in differentiating lawful detentions from unlawful ones. In the absence of probable cause, any detention could be deemed arbitrary and thus falls under the category of false arrest. This highlights the legal protections individuals have against wrongful detention by security officers or law enforcement.

In scenarios involving verbal consent or witness statements, there are additional factors at play that can validate a detention, such as the clarity of consent or the reliability of the witness's account. Similarly, detaining someone in a secure facility does not inherently constitute false arrest, as long as the detention is supported by probable cause or lawful authority. Hence, the correct understanding of false arrest in Colorado hinges on the presence or absence of probable cause, making the identification of the third option as the appropriate choice accurate.