Frisk standard: which statement is accurate?

• A. It may be used to seize any evidence found.
• B. It is a search for weapons when the officer reasonably believes the person is armed and poses a threat.
• C. It is only used with probable cause for full search.
• D. It requires a warrant.

Answer: (B)

Frisk is a Terry stop concept: during a brief investigative detention, an officer may conduct a quick pat-down of the outer clothing to check for weapons if there is reasonable suspicion that the person is armed and poses a threat to safety. This is meant to protect the officer, not to search for general evidence. It does not authorize a full search for contraband or evidence, it does not require probable cause, and it does not require a warrant. If the pat-down reveals a weapon, or something immediately identifiable as contraband by touch, the officer may seize it, but the scope remains limited to weapons and things immediately apparent as contraband. That’s why the accurate statement is describing the frisk as a search for weapons based on the belief the person is armed and poses a threat.