A security guard sees a person acting suspiciously near merchandise but has not seen a theft. The guard approaches and asks the person to stop and speak briefly. This encounter is best characterized as:

Explanation

California recognizes three levels of encounter: (1) consensual contact — no restraint, no justification required; (2) detention — temporary restraint requiring reasonable suspicion of criminal activity; (3) arrest — full custody requiring reasonable/probable cause. A consensual approach where the person remains free to walk away is not a seizure (People v. Bennett (1998) 17 Cal.4th 373). Once a reasonable person would not feel free to leave, a detention has occurred and must be justified. A full arrest requires §837 authority. The Fourth Amendment applies most directly to government actors; private security operates within state-law constraints, primarily §490.5 and §837.