Police may arrest an individual to prevent tampering with evidence from a crime scene. This is known as what?

The act of arresting an individual to prevent tampering with evidence from a crime scene is properly referred to as "preserving evidence." This term highlights the importance of maintaining the integrity of physical evidence that could be critical in the investigation and prosecution of a crime. When police arrest someone to prevent them from interfering with evidence, they are actively ensuring that this evidence remains intact and unaltered, which is essential for the collection and examination of material that could impact the outcome of a legal case.

The other options do not adequately describe the action taken by the police in this scenario. For example, "retain testimony" would imply keeping a witness's account consistent, which is not related to arresting a suspect. "Secure the scene" generally refers to the act of protecting the crime scene to prevent further contamination but does not specifically involve arresting individuals. Lastly, while "apprehend suspects" involves the general action of arresting individuals believed to be involved in a crime, it does not specifically address the goal of preserving evidence. The focus in this context is on the necessity of protecting evidence, thus making "preserve evidence" the most fitting term.