During a lawful stop, which action is authorized if the officer has reasonable suspicion that the person is armed?

• A. Search the entire body during a routine stop without any suspicion
• B. Frisk the outer clothing if there is reasonable suspicion the person is armed
• C. Search the vehicle interior without consent
• D. Seize items observed in plain view during the stop

Answer: (B)

When a stop is lawful and the officer has reasonable suspicion that the person is armed, the officer may perform a protective frisk of the outer clothing. This is a quick, limited pat-down intended to detect weapons and protect the officer and others from danger. It does not allow a full body search or rummaging through pockets or under clothing unless a weapon is actually felt during the frisk, at which point the weapon can be seized and further investigation justified.

This is why the option describing a frisk of the outer clothing is the best answer. A full-body search would go beyond what a stop allows without stronger justification. Searching the vehicle interior requires its own separate justification, such as probable cause or consent, not merely suspicion that the person is armed. Seizing items seen in plain view can happen in a lawful stop, but it isn’t the specific action authorized solely by the reasonable suspicion of being armed, which is the protective frisk.