What allows police to conduct a stop without probable cause?

Police are permitted to conduct a stop without probable cause when they have reasonable and articulable suspicion of criminal activity. This standard is established primarily under the Fourth Amendment, which protects individuals against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Reasonable suspicion is a lower threshold than probable cause, allowing law enforcement to briefly detain an individual for further investigation based on specific and articulable facts suggesting that a person may be involved in criminal conduct. This can be derived from the officer's observations, experience, and knowledge of the area, as well as behaviors that might indicate illegal activity.

In contrast, consistent patrol patterns, witness testimonies, or prior knowledge of an individual may provide context or support for a stop, but they do not independently confer the requisite standard of reasonable suspicion necessary to justify the stop. Witness testimonies, for example, might inform an officer's decision, but they must still meet the reasonable suspicion criteria specifically tied to an individual and their observed actions.