Quote:
Originally Posted by Skip
Just so everyone remains clear, a law enforcement officer needs Articulable Suspicion to stop and temporarily detain an individual. Probable Cause, a much higher standard, is necessary to effect an arrest on an individual.
In short an officer normally stops a person on a suspicion (articulable) that an offense has or will occur and during that detention sometimes develops additional facts and circumstances that could lead to probable cause to effect an arrest.
Hope this helps explain the terminology a little better....  |
Let's say, a police officer, happens to be on patrol every night, say, near the Meredith Town Docks. He patrols the dock areas. Lets say, he witnesses someone stumbling towards his boat, gets in and starts it. Let's further assume that same stumbling person is attempting to leave the docks, Without untying the boat.
Is that articulable suspicion?
If that same stumbling person, that was earlier observed dancing with himself after who knows how many drinks, runs over the transom of another boat, is the officer complicit in a felony? What about the bar that dramatically over-served him?
It's similar to cutting off the supplier not the user.
Of course the offending server could just go about his business, and get publicity about safety issues and the like. But that's after the fact.