What does a "Terry" stop refer to?

A "Terry" stop refers to a brief detention that law enforcement officers conduct to investigate suspicious conduct. This term comes from the landmark Supreme Court case Terry v. Ohio, where the Court upheld the constitutionality of stopping and briefly detaining a person based on reasonable suspicion of criminal activity, even if there is not enough probable cause for a formal arrest.

In this context, reasonable suspicion must be based on specific and articulable facts, rather than just a vague hunch. The purpose of a Terry stop is to allow police officers to investigate potential criminal behavior while balancing the individual’s Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures. This principle serves to enable officers to ensure their safety and investigate suspicious situations swiftly without requiring the same level of evidence as would be necessary for an arrest.

The other options describe different law enforcement activities that do not fit the definition of a Terry stop. A formal arrest involves a higher threshold of probable cause, a vehicle search without a warrant generally requires probable cause or consent, and long-term surveillance operations fall outside the scope of a brief investigative stop. Thus, the essence of a Terry stop is its temporary nature and focus on reasonable suspicion.