Terry stop/frisk: What is required to stop a suspect?

Terry stop/frisk: What is required to stop a suspect?

• A. Reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot
• B. Probable cause to believe the suspect committed a crime
• C. A police officer's hunch
• D. The suspect's consent

Answer: (A)

Reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot. A stop under Terry v. Ohio rests on an objective basis—specific, articulable facts and inferences that criminal activity may be occurring. It’s more than a vague hunch but less than probable cause, and it justifies briefly detaining the person to investigate. Consent is not required to make the stop, nor is probable cause needed for a stop; those relate to later actions like searches or arrests. So the key idea is that an officer must have reasonable suspicion grounded in observable facts to justify a stop.

Reasonable suspicion that criminal activity is afoot. A stop under Terry v. Ohio rests on an objective basis—specific, articulable facts and inferences that criminal activity may be occurring. It’s more than a vague hunch but less than probable cause, and it justifies briefly detaining the person to investigate. Consent is not required to make the stop, nor is probable cause needed for a stop; those relate to later actions like searches or arrests. So the key idea is that an officer must have reasonable suspicion grounded in observable facts to justify a stop.