What is required for an officer to conduct a frisk on an individual?

For an officer to conduct a frisk on an individual, it is essential to establish reasonable articulable suspicion that the individual may be armed and poses a danger. This standard arises from legal precedents, specifically from the Terry v. Ohio case, where the U.S. Supreme Court outlined that officers are permitted to perform a limited pat-down of an individual’s outer clothing for weapons if they have specific, observable, and articulable facts suggesting that the person could be dangerous.

This is a preventive measure designed to ensure the safety of law enforcement officers and those around them. It is not sufficient for an officer merely to suspect that someone has committed a crime or to operate on a vague hunch; there must be specific reasons based on the officer's training and experience that lead them to believe the individual is armed and potentially threatening.

The other options do not meet the legal threshold necessary for a frisk. For example, simply witnessing a crime does not automatically justify a frisk unless additional safety concerns are present. Probable cause is a higher standard than what is required for a frisk and applies to arrests rather than temporary detentions. Conversely, a mere hunch lacks the specificity necessary for the legal justification of a frisk.