The criminal was detained by the police.

The correct answer is A. The criminal was detained by the police.

To detain someone means to keep them in a place against their will. In this case, the police detained the criminal because they suspected that they had committed a crime. The police have the right to detain someone for a short period of time, usually up to 24 hours, in order to investigate the crime.

The other options are incorrect.

• Option B, dismissed, means to let someone go. The police would not dismiss a criminal unless they had found no evidence that they had committed a crime.
• Option C, released, means to let someone go after they have been detained. The police would release a criminal if they had found no evidence that they had committed a crime or if they had decided not to charge them with a crime.
• Option D, deterred, means to discourage someone from doing something. The police would not deter a criminal from committing a crime. Their job is to catch criminals and bring them to justice.