Civil Service Supervisor Practice Exam 2026 – All-In-One Guide to Exam Success!

Reasonable suspicion allows a police officer to briefly detain a suspect for investigative purposes when specific and articulable facts suggest that the individual is involved in criminal activity. This concept is a lower standard than probable cause, which is required for arrests and more intrusive searches.

When an officer has reasonable suspicion, they may engage in a temporary stop of the individual, often referred to as a "stop and frisk." This enables the officer to ask questions, gather more information, or conduct a limited search for weapons if there is a concern for safety. The key aspect is that the detention must be short in duration and based on the officer’s observations or experience that suggest criminal behavior could be afoot, which is why this action is seen as reasonable within the legal frameworks governing law enforcement.

The other options reflect actions that either exceed the limits set by reasonable suspicion or do not align with the concept.