What does reasonable articulable suspicion allow law enforcement to do?

Reasonable articulable suspicion allows law enforcement officers to stop a vehicle, making it a lawful seizure under the Fourth Amendment. This standard is less than the probable cause required for an arrest, but it still necessitates that officers have specific and articulable facts that, when combined with their training and experience, would lead a reasonable officer to believe that criminal activity is afoot.

In practical terms, this means that an officer observing certain behaviors, such as erratic driving or a traffic violation, can initiate a stop to investigate further. This action is justified because the officer has a reasonable basis to suspect that something may be wrong, even if they do not yet have enough evidence to make an arrest.

This legal standard is crucial as it balances the need for effective law enforcement with the individual’s right to be free from unreasonable seizures. It ensures that stops are not arbitrary but are made based on observable behavior that warrants further inquiry.