What is the legal standard for a Terry stop and frisk?

• A. Absolute certainty that the person intends to commit a crime.
• B. Probable cause to arrest; a search of the person for drugs.
• C. Consent from the individual to search without a warrant.
• D. Reasonable suspicion to stop; a limited frisk for weapons if there is a reasonable belief of danger.

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that a Terry stop is a brief detention based on reasonable suspicion, and a limited frisk is allowed only if there’s a reasonable belief the person is armed and dangerous. Reasonable suspicion sits between a hunch and probable cause: it must be based on specific and articulable facts and rational inferences drawn from the officer’s observations and the surrounding context. If those facts give the officer reason to think a crime may be afoot, they may stop the person temporarily.

If, during that stop, safety concerns arise, the officer may perform a pat-down of the outer clothing to check for weapons. This frisk is strictly limited to discovering weapons and is constrained in scope to what is necessary to ensure safety. If a weapon is felt, it can be seized; the purpose is to neutralize an immediate danger, not to search for evidence. The stop and frisk do not require probable cause or a warrant, and they end when the suspicion dissipates or can escalate only if there’s further evidence to support an arrest or a more extensive search. This framework comes from Terry v. Ohio and is designed to balance officer safety with individual rights.