What is the primary requirement for an Investigatory Stop?

The primary requirement for an Investigatory Stop is reasonable suspicion. This legal standard allows law enforcement officers to briefly detain an individual based on specific, articulable facts that suggest the person may be involved in criminal activity. The idea is to balance the need for effective law enforcement with individuals' rights against unwarranted searches and stops.

Reasonable suspicion is less stringent than the probable cause standard needed for an arrest or a search warrant, but it requires that officers have a particularized and objective basis for suspecting an individual. This means they must have specific observations or evidence that raise their suspicion rather than mere hunches or generalizations.

In contrast, evidence of a crime, while important in many policing scenarios, is not required to justify an investigatory stop. Administrative authority pertains to the regulatory powers of officials and does not directly relate to individual stops for suspicion of crime. Legal representation is important for individuals' rights and procedural fairness, but it does not pertain to the standards law enforcement must meet to initiate an investigatory stop.