Which police action is authorized when an officer has reasonable suspicion that a person is involved in a crime and may forcibly detain the person?

• A. Detention
• B. Frisk
• C. Arrest
• D. Seizure

Answer: (A)

Reasonable suspicion allows an officer to stop and briefly detain a person to investigate possible criminal activity. This temporary restraint is called detention. It lets police question the person and run a quick inquiry while they assess whether criminal activity is afoot. A frisk is a limited pat-down for weapons that may be conducted if the officer reasonably fears danger; it isn’t automatic simply from reasonable suspicion of involvement in a crime. Arrest requires probable cause, a higher standard than reasonable suspicion. Seizure is a broader term that can refer to detentions or arrests, but the specific action authorized with only reasonable suspicion to briefly restrain someone is detention.