What can a magistrate do if they witness a felony being committed?

When a magistrate witnesses a felony being committed, they have the authority to verbally order an arrest. This power stems from their position within the judicial system, which grants them specific responsibilities and abilities to uphold the law. The ability to order an arrest is crucial in ensuring immediate action can be taken to prevent further criminal activity, protect victims, and maintain public safety.

The other options, while they might seem viable responses in certain contexts, do not equate to the immediate and decisive action that a magistrate can take upon witnessing a crime. Ignoring the situation would be contrary to their duty to enforce the law. Writing a report is an important step but is not an immediate action to address the ongoing felony. Requesting a backup officer might be prudent in some scenarios, but it doesn’t replace the magistrate's authority to directly intervene by ordering an arrest. Therefore, the ability to verbally order an arrest is the most appropriate and assertive response within the scope of the magistrate's duties.