What happens if a stop does not meet the standard of reasonable suspicion?

When a stop does not meet the standard of reasonable suspicion, an individual may claim unlawful detention. Reasonable suspicion is a legal standard that requires an officer to have specific, articulable facts that lead them to believe that a person is involved in criminal activity. If an officer stops someone without meeting this criterion, the individual has the right to assert that their detention was unlawful.

If the stop is deemed unlawful, it could lead to several potential consequences, including the exclusion of any evidence collected during the encounter in a court of law, as well as possible civil liability for the officer or the agency they represent. This outcome underscores the importance of reasonable suspicion in ensuring that citizens' rights are protected during police encounters.