Which term refers to the police power to stop and frisk a person when there is reasonable suspicion that they have committed or are about to commit a crime?

• A. Stop and Frisk
• B. Terry Stop
• C. Warrantless Search
• D. Detention

Answer: (A)

The key idea is the Terry Stop. This term comes from Terry v. Ohio and refers to the police power to briefly stop a person when there is reasonable suspicion they’re involved in a crime, and to conduct a limited frisk (pat-down) if the officer reasonably believes the person may be armed. The stop is allowed on a lower standard than probable cause, and the frisk is intended only to check for weapons, not to search for contraband. While people commonly say “stop and frisk,” the precise legal label for the authority is a Terry Stop. The other terms describe related ideas but don’t capture the established legal name: a warrantless search implies broader authority to search without a warrant, detention is a general restraint not necessarily tied to a stop-and-frisk scenario, and stop and frisk describes the actions rather than the specific legal term.