A stop may be extended beyond its initial purpose if the officer develops reasonable suspicion or probable cause to suspect ongoing criminal activity.

A stop may be extended beyond its initial purpose if the officer develops reasonable suspicion or probable cause to suspect ongoing criminal activity.

• A. It cannot be extended under any circumstance
• B. It may be extended if new reasonable suspicion or probable cause develops
• C. It requires a warrant
• D. It must end immediately

Answer: (B)

Detentions can be extended when new facts justify continued investigation. Under the standard for stops based on reasonable suspicion, a temporary detention is allowed to last only as long as needed to resolve the initial suspicion. If, during that stop, the officer encounters new information that gives reasonable suspicion of ongoing criminal activity, the detention may continue to pursue that investigation. If those new facts rise to probable cause, the situation can escalate to actions like arrest, which do not require a warrant in many cases. So extending the stop is appropriate when new reasonable suspicion or probable cause develops. It is not correct that extensions are forbidden, that a warrant is always needed to extend, or that the stop must end immediately.