Under what circumstance can searches be based on exigent circumstances?

Searches based on exigent circumstances are justified primarily when there is an immediate need to protect life or when evidence is at risk of being destroyed. This principle acknowledges that law enforcement may face situations where waiting for a warrant could compromise public safety or allow crucial evidence to be lost or tampered with.

In scenarios involving exigent circumstances, officers are allowed to act quickly without the usual requirement of obtaining a warrant. This urgency underscores the necessity of their actions—if someone's life is in danger or if there is a reasonable belief that evidence may be removed or destroyed before a warrant can be obtained, the immediate response is not just justified but crucial.

The other options do not capture the critical nature of exigent circumstances as they relate to immediate threats to life or the preservation of evidence. For instance, apprehending a suspect may not inherently involve a risk to life or evidence that requires immediate action. Gathering information for a case or conducting routine checks also do not meet the strict criteria for exigent circumstances, as these actions typically allow for the time to obtain a warrant, which is not permissible in situations deemed exigent.