What describes the basis for a frisk during a Terry stop?

• A. A separate set of specific, articulable facts indicating the person may be armed and dangerous.
• B. Any frisk is allowed with no facts.
• C. A broad suspicion of crime.
• D. A search incident to arrest only.

Answer: (A)

During a Terry stop, a frisk is allowed only when there are specific, articulable facts giving rise to a reasonable belief that the person is armed and dangerous. The frisk is a protective pat-down for weapons and its scope is limited to checking for weapons, not digging for evidence. The facts must be objective and tied to the danger the officer perceives, such as observed behavior suggesting they might be armed, concealment of a weapon, or other indicators of potential threat. This precise standard—a separate set of specific, articulable facts indicating the person may be armed and dangerous—is what justifies a frisk. The other ideas don’t fit: a frisk cannot be conducted with no facts, a broad suspicion of crime is not enough to justify weapon discovery, and a search incident to arrest is a different, broader process that isn’t the basis for a Terry stop frisk.