Which practice allows police to detain an individual for a brief period and to search the outside of the person's clothing if there is a reasonable suspicion that the individual has committed or is about to commit a crime?

• A. Stop and Frisk
• B. Warrant
• C. Detention
• D. Frisk and Search

Answer: (A)

Stop and frisk involves briefly detaining a person and patting down the outside of their clothing when an officer has reasonable suspicion that the person is involved in a crime. The key idea is safety: the search is limited to checking for weapons to protect the officer and others, not a full search for contraband or evidence. The scope is narrow and the duration is brief, and the search is limited to outer garments unless something usable is found that gives rise to additional authority (or there is probable cause). This approach comes from the Supreme Court in Terry v. Ohio, which allows a stop based on reasonable suspicion and a limited frisk for weapons. Warrant requirements, generic detentions, or broader searches aren’t what’s described here; the phrase “frisk” specifically refers to the protective pat-down, not a full search.