In a stop, what is the permissible scope of a frisk?

In a stop, what is the permissible scope of a frisk?

• A. A full body search of the arrestee and nearby areas for weapons.
• B. A pat-down for weapons if there is a reasonable belief the person is armed and dangerous.
• C. A search of the suspect's vehicle without consent.
• D. A seizure without a warrant for weapons.

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that a stop-and-frisk is a narrow, protective search focused on officer safety. When an officer has a reasonable suspicion that the person is armed and dangerous, they may conduct a quick pat-down of the outer clothing to feel for weapons. This frisk is not a full body search, nor a vehicle search, nor a general seizure—it’s specifically for weapons and must stay within that limited scope. If a weapon is found, it can be seized; if the search reveals non-weapon items, the officer must rely on the plain-feel doctrine only if the item is immediately apparent as contraband. So the permissible scope is a pat-down for weapons when there’s a reasonable belief the person is armed and dangerous.

The key idea is that a stop-and-frisk is a narrow, protective search focused on officer safety. When an officer has a reasonable suspicion that the person is armed and dangerous, they may conduct a quick pat-down of the outer clothing to feel for weapons. This frisk is not a full body search, nor a vehicle search, nor a general seizure—it’s specifically for weapons and must stay within that limited scope. If a weapon is found, it can be seized; if the search reveals non-weapon items, the officer must rely on the plain-feel doctrine only if the item is immediately apparent as contraband. So the permissible scope is a pat-down for weapons when there’s a reasonable belief the person is armed and dangerous.