Which statement describes a permissible frisk?

• A. The officer may pat down the outer clothing and, if he sees or feels an item reasonably believed to be a weapon, may go beyond the outer clothing to seize it
• B. The officer cannot pat down outer clothing
• C. The officer may search the entire body
• D. The officer may seize any object found during a casual encounter

Answer: (A)

During a lawful stop, officers are allowed a brief frisk—a quick pat-down of the outer clothing to check for weapons. The safety goal here is to detect any weapon quickly without turning the stop into a full search. If, through that pat-down, the officer feels an object that is reasonably believed to be a weapon, the officer may seize it, even if that means moving beyond the outer clothing to remove the weapon. This rule exists because weapons present an immediate risk, and the officer is permitted to take possession of such an item when it is clearly identified as a weapon during a frisk. The frisk and any seizure are limited to safety concerns; they do not authorize a full-body search or the seizure of ordinary non-weapon items discovered during a casual encounter.