The standard that determines when a security officer may stop and frisk a person (based on the level of evidence) is called

• A. Probable cause
• B. Preponderance of evidence
• C. Hunch
• D. Reasonable suspicion

Answer: (D)

Reasonable suspicion is the level of evidence that justifies briefly detaining someone and performing a limited pat-down when there are specific, articulable facts suggesting criminal activity and that the person may be armed. It is more than a mere hunch but less than probable cause, which is required for an arrest or a full search. In practice, observations like unusual or sudden behavior, location context, matching a known description, or actions that indicate danger can contribute to reasonable suspicion. A frisk is limited to a quick check for weapons and should be conducted in a respectful, non-discriminatory way. If there’s no additional evidence, the encounter ends without further action. The other standards don’t fit because a probable cause standard is needed for arrest or more invasive searches, preponderance of evidence is a civil-litigations standard, and a hunch lacks the specificity and articulable facts required.