Opinion ID: 1685078
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Stop and Initial Detention

Text: ¶ 43. We first address the stop and initial detention. Wisconsin Stat. § 968.24 authorizes temporary questioning without arrest. It provides: After having identified himself or herself as a law enforcement officer, a law enforcement officer may stop a person in a public place for a reasonable period of time when the officer reasonably suspects that such person is committing, is about to commit or has committed a crime, and may demand the name and address of the person and an explanation of the person's conduct. Such detention and temporary questioning shall be conducted in the vicinity where the person was stopped. Wis. Stat. § 968.24. ¶ 44. Vorburger does not dispute that the Task Force officers had reasonable suspicion that Cramer had committed a crime and that Vorburger and Becker were committing, were about to commit, or had committed a crime. There clearly was reasonable suspicion that Vorburger and Becker were about to commit a crimeit was 9:20 on a Wednesday evening and they were at the door of a motel room that smelled strongly of marijuana, accompanying the person who had rented the motel room several hours earlier. [7] ¶ 45. We conclude that the stop and initial detention were based on reasonable suspicion and therefore lawful. The police were entitled to demand the names and addresses of the three persons and an explanation of their conduct. They also were entitled to pat down the three suspects to assure that they were not armed. See State v. McGill, 2000 WI 38, ¶¶ 20, 32, 234 Wis.2d 560, 609 N.W.2d 795.