Question

When one officer has reasonable suspicion or probable cause and tells another officer to do something based on that, is the second officer allowed to do so and believe the first officer?

1) True
2) False

Answer 1

True, one officer can rely on the reasonable suspicion or probable cause of another officer, which is supported by the principle of 'collective knowledge' within law enforcement and aligns with the standards set by cases like Terry v. Ohio and Fourth Amendment protections. (option 1)

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering whether one officer can rely on the reasonable suspicion or probable cause established by another officer, it is true that such reliance is permissible within law enforcement protocols. Under the legal principle of 'collective knowledge,' the second officer's actions are justified by the first officer's findings. For example, in scenarios such as the landmark case Terry v. Ohio, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld that police may stop a person if they have a reasonable suspicion of criminal activity. This standard extends to situations where one officer communicates crucial information to another. Furthermore, when search warrants are issued, they are based on probable cause, a necessary requirement to protect citizens from unreasonable searches and seizures as per the Fourth Amendment.