What legal decision allowed police to freeze a situation upon reasonable suspicion?

The legal decision that allowed police to freeze a situation upon reasonable suspicion is Terry v. Ohio. This landmark Supreme Court case established the principle that law enforcement officers are permitted to stop and question individuals if they have a reasonable suspicion that the individual is involved in criminal activity.

Terry v. Ohio clarified that while an officer does not need probable cause to make an arrest, they do need a specific and articulable basis for their suspicion to briefly detain a person for further investigation. This decision balances the need for law enforcement to prevent crime and maintain public safety with the protection of individual rights against unreasonable search and seizure as outlined in the Fourth Amendment.

This case is foundational in the policing field, as it provides the legal precedent for "stop-and-frisk" procedures used by law enforcement agencies across the United States. It recognizes that limited intrusions on a person's privacy can be justified when officers are acting on legitimate and reasonable suspicions of criminal activity.