Ask the officer Ask the officer (April 07, 2004)

Menlo Park police officer Glenn J. Raggio answers questions about the police and law enforcement. Call 330-6396, or e-mail: asktheofficer@menlopark.org.

Q. From an eighth-grade class at Hillview: Can teenagers be questioned for just looking suspicious?

A. Anyone who participates in an activity that appears suspicious can be questioned. It is the act of doing something suspicious, and not looking suspicious, that triggers an action or an inquiry. If you are in an area with a high crime rate, the chances are increased that you would be questioned. If you are in a park after hours and the police find you, you will be questioned; all parks in Menlo Park are closed after dark. The bottom line is: If you have a good reason for doing what you're doing, going where you're going, or being where you choose to be, you're fine.

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