When a police officer stopped a group of young men sitting on a stairway in a high crime area of a residential street, and found that they were smoking and depositing ash in the area, what is the effect of the stop?

Contrary to appellant's argument on appeal, he was not simply sitting on a stairway. He and his companions were blocking a pedestrian stairway in a high crime area. This activity was one specifically complained of by the public and known as a problem by the officers. Given their apparent youth and the appearance that in addition to blocking public access they were smoking and depositing ash in the area, in violation of the law, the officers were justified in making an investigatory stop. We conclude the totality of facts known to the officers and their experience in the particular high crime area provided objective manifestation criminal activity was afoot. (Terry v. Ohio (1968) 392 U.S. 1.)