What does "reasonable suspicion" allow officers to do?

"Reasonable suspicion" is a legal standard used in law enforcement that allows officers to stop and briefly question an individual when they have specific facts or circumstances that suggest the person may be involved in criminal activity. This standard is less than probable cause, which is required for arrests or searches.

When officers articulate reasonable suspicion, they can engage individuals in a consensual encounter, which may include stopping someone in public to ask questions. The key component here is that reasonable suspicion must be based on particular observations, experience, or training, leading the officer to suspect that criminal behavior is occurring or is about to occur.

This is why the ability to stop and briefly question an individual is the correct understanding of what reasonable suspicion allows officers to do, contrasting with other activities such as conducting full searches, making arrests without further justification, or employing excessive force, which require higher levels of justification and are governed by stricter legal standards.