What sensory perception is needed to determine reasonable suspicions?

The ability to discern reasonable suspicion is often reliant on the sense of smell, among others, because it can provide crucial information that informs law enforcement’s assessment of a situation. For example, the scent of illegal substances, such as marijuana or other drugs, can lead an officer to develop reasonable suspicion that illegal activity is taking place. Additionally, the smell of alcohol on a person's breath can raise suspicions regarding impaired driving. These sensory cues can serve as critical indicators prompting further investigation.

While taste, hearing, and emotional responses can play roles in assessments and interactions with individuals, they are generally less directly linked to establishing reasonable suspicion in law enforcement contexts compared to the sense of smell. Each of these other senses can contribute to an officer's overall situational awareness but do not provide the same level of direct and immediate evidence of potential illegal activity as smell does.