What is one of the elements of a continuing investigation?

Conducting appropriate surveillance is a crucial element of a continuing investigation as it allows law enforcement to gather essential information, monitor suspects, and collect evidence over time. Surveillance can be conducted in various forms, such as physical observation, electronic monitoring, or tracking activities in a specified area. This ongoing collection of data helps investigators to establish patterns, confirm leads, and make informed decisions about the next steps in their case.

In contrast, making arrests immediately, while sometimes necessary, may disrupt the gathering of further evidence or compromise the investigation by alerting suspects to law enforcement's actions. Probable cause determination is important in the initial stages of criminal proceedings but is not a continuous process as the investigation develops. Similarly, the management of confidential informants plays a role throughout an investigation but is not as broadly applicable to all continuing investigations as surveillance, which is a fundamental method of collecting real-time information and insights.