Which statement describes when a frisk during a stop is permissible?

Which statement describes when a frisk during a stop is permissible?

• A. If the officer has probable cause to arrest.
• B. With consent from the person.
• C. Based on reasonable suspicion and limited to a search for weapons for officer safety.
• D. If the officer believes the person is dangerous.

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that a frisk during a stop is allowed only to protect officer safety when there is reasonable suspicion that the person is armed and dangerous, and it must be limited to a quick pat-down for weapons. This aligns with the Terry stop framework: the officer may conduct a brief, focused frisk for weapons if there is a reasonable, articulable suspicion that the individual is armed and poses a danger. The scope is narrow—the search is for weapons only, not a full investigation or broad search. This is why the best statement emphasizes both elements: the standard of reasonable suspicion and the limited, weapon-only nature of the frisk. Probable cause to arrest would permit a broader search after an arrest, not a preliminary frisk during a stop. Simply having consent could bypass the suspicion requirement, but the legitimate justification for a frisk in a stop is the reasonable-suspicion standard. Believing the person is dangerous alone isn’t enough without a specific reasonable suspicion that they are armed.

The key idea is that a frisk during a stop is allowed only to protect officer safety when there is reasonable suspicion that the person is armed and dangerous, and it must be limited to a quick pat-down for weapons. This aligns with the Terry stop framework: the officer may conduct a brief, focused frisk for weapons if there is a reasonable, articulable suspicion that the individual is armed and poses a danger. The scope is narrow—the search is for weapons only, not a full investigation or broad search.

This is why the best statement emphasizes both elements: the standard of reasonable suspicion and the limited, weapon-only nature of the frisk. Probable cause to arrest would permit a broader search after an arrest, not a preliminary frisk during a stop. Simply having consent could bypass the suspicion requirement, but the legitimate justification for a frisk in a stop is the reasonable-suspicion standard. Believing the person is dangerous alone isn’t enough without a specific reasonable suspicion that they are armed.