How long can a Terry stop last?

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asked Sep 14, 2019 in Law Enforcement/Police by Pandyssndy (410 points)
How long can a Terry stop last?

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answered Sep 14, 2019 by hank57 (430 points)
When a police officer conducts a Terry Stop the Terry Stop can only last as long as 20 minutes before the police either arrest you or they release you and let you go.

If the Terry Stop lasts longer than 20 minutes without the cop releasing you or arresting you then the cop is in violation of the rules of the Terry Stop.

The laws regarding a Terry Stop state that under the 20 minute rule after conducting the Terry Stop if probable cause to arrest the person is not developed within twenty minutes, the suspect must be released.

So if the Terry Stop lasts longer than 20 minutes then you need to speak with the police officer to find out what is going on and remind the police officer that they are in violation of the law if they detain you longer than 20 minutes during a Terry Stop.

The police can get sued as a result of detaining you longer than 20 minutes during a Terry Stop.

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