West Virginia Security Guard Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The correct answer is based on the legal framework surrounding the authority of security guards to detain individuals. Security guards can detain a suspect primarily when they witness a crime in progress, which grants them the legal backing to take immediate action to prevent further harm or criminal activity.

While reasonable suspicion is an important concept in many security protocols, it often does not provide the same legal grounds for detention as witnessing a crime. Reasonable suspicion might allow a security guard to approach an individual or investigate further, but it does not necessarily justify detainment. The key distinction lies in the immediacy and clearly observed nature of the criminal act.

Being identified from a wanted list or feeling threatened by an individual may lead to heightened caution or increased monitoring, but these scenarios do not independently authorize a security guard to detain someone. Detaining someone without witnessing a crime or without sufficient legal grounds could lead to legal issues for the guard and their employer. Therefore, the ability to detain hinges on the clear observation of a criminal act in real-time, which is underscored by the correct answer.