What is considered "reasonable suspicion" in law enforcement?

Reasonable suspicion is a legal standard that allows law enforcement officers to stop and briefly detain a person based on specific and articulable facts, rather than vague feelings or unparticular hunches. The correct answer indicates that reasonable suspicion arises from a belief grounded in particular facts, which may suggest that an individual is engaged in or about to commit a crime.

This standard is crucial because it establishes a balance between the need for law enforcement to maintain public safety and individuals' rights to privacy and freedom from arbitrary interference. This requirement for a factual basis helps to ensure that officers are making informed decisions rather than acting on a mere gut feeling or intuition without supporting evidence.

Factors that contribute to reasonable suspicion include observations like unusual behavior, matching a description of a suspect, or other specific circumstances that would lead a reasonable officer to believe that criminal activity may be occurring or has occurred. This clear distinction between reasonable suspicion and vague feelings underscores the importance of having a foundation in observable facts for initiating a stop or investigation.