What does the term "stop and frisk" refer to?

The term "stop and frisk" refers specifically to a protective search for weapons conducted by law enforcement officers. This practice allows officers to briefly stop someone based on reasonable suspicion that the person may be involved in criminal activity, and then pat down their outer clothing for weapons. The rationale behind this legal procedure is to ensure officer safety and public safety; if an officer has a reasonable belief that a suspect might be armed and dangerous, they are authorized to perform a limited search.

This procedure is grounded in the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures but makes exceptions for situations where immediate safety may be compromised. For instance, if an officer senses a potential threat during an encounter, the stop and frisk allows them to proactively mitigate risk.

The other choices do not accurately reflect the nature of "stop and frisk." A routine traffic stop involves stopping a vehicle for traffic violations but does not include the protective search aspect inherent in stop and frisk. A method of arrest implies a more formal process involving taking a person into custody, while stop and frisk is more about immediate safety and assessing risk without necessarily leading to an arrest. A strategy for pursuing suspects could refer to various law enforcement tactics but does not capture the essence of the stop and frisk process which focuses on safety and