In what scenario is reasonable suspicion applicable?

Reasonable suspicion is a legal standard used in law enforcement that allows police officers to stop and detain a person if they have specific, articulable facts suggesting that the person may be involved in criminal activity. This standard is lower than "probable cause," which is required for arrests and obtaining search warrants.

In the context of stops and detentions, reasonable suspicion enables officers to act when they observe behavior or circumstances that lead them to reasonably suspect that a crime may be occurring or is about to occur. For instance, if an officer sees an individual engaging in behavior that matches patterns typically associated with criminal activity, they may initiate a stop to investigate further.

This principle is grounded in the need to balance individual freedoms with public safety and allows law enforcement to act on their training and experience regarding suspicious behavior without needing to meet the higher threshold of proof required for arrests or searches.