Answer :
Final answer:
A frisk requires reasonable suspicion that a suspect may be armed, a standard lower than probable cause, as established by the Supreme Court in Terry v. Ohio.
Explanation:
You can frisk if there is reasonable suspicion that the suspect may be in possession of a weapon. According to the landmark case, Terry v. Ohio (1968), the Supreme Court ruled that police may stop and frisk people on the street if they have a reasonable suspicion that the person has committed a crime, is in the process of committing a crime, or is about to commit a crime.
Reasonable suspicion is a lower standard than probable cause, which is generally required for police to obtain a search warrant or to justify certain searches without a warrant under exigent circumstances. However, for stop and frisk, reasonable suspicion suffices.
