What defines an investigatory stop in law enforcement?

An investigatory stop is defined as a temporary detention of a person by law enforcement based on reasonable suspicion that the individual is involved in criminal activity. This concept is rooted in the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. The key element of an investigatory stop is that it does not require the same level of evidence as an arrest; rather, law enforcement officers must have specific, articulable facts that lead them to believe that a crime is being committed or has been committed. This allows officers to briefly detain a person to investigate further without having probable cause, which is necessary for an arrest.

In contrast, a full arrest requires a higher standard of proof and usually involves taking a person into custody. Similarly, while a search of a person's belongings can occur during an arrest or under specific legal circumstances, it is not synonymous with an investigatory stop. A mere request for identification does not constitute a stop; rather, it is a part of the interaction that might occur during an investigatory stop, but by itself, it lacks the element of detention based on reasonable suspicion. Thus, the defining characteristic of an investigatory stop is that temporary detention rooted in reasonable suspicion of criminal activity.