Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions with hints and explanations. Get exam ready!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

When can a police officer legally stop or search a person?

If they have mere suspicion
If they have reasonable suspicion
If they have civil infractions
If they do not have any suspicion at all

The correct answer is: If they have reasonable suspicion

A police officer can legally stop or search a person when they have reasonable suspicion. This standard requires that the officer has specific and articulable facts that lead them to believe that a person is involved in criminal activity. The concept of reasonable suspicion is grounded in the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. It is a lower standard than probable cause, which is required for arrests or obtaining search warrants, but higher than mere suspicion or a hunch. Mere suspicion does not meet the legal threshold necessary for a stop or search, as it does not provide the officer with enough credible information to justify their actions. Similarly, civil infractions pertain to non-criminal violations and do not provide grounds for a stop or search in the context of potential criminal activity. The option that involves no suspicion also fails to meet the legal standards, as it does not justify any form of stopping or searching a person. Thus, reasonable suspicion is essential for an officer to act legally and appropriately.