What is required to conduct a Terry frisk of a vehicle?

The Terry frisk of a vehicle is based on the principle established in the Terry v. Ohio case, which allows law enforcement officers to perform a limited search for weapons if they have reasonable suspicion that an individual is armed and dangerous. This standard is crucial for ensuring the safety of officers during encounters, particularly in high-risk situations involving vehicles.

Reasonable suspicion does not require certainty or evidence of a crime but hinges on specific and articulable facts that lead an officer to believe that a person might be armed and poses a danger. This is crucial when dealing with vehicles, where the potential for concealed weapons exists, and it highlights the officer's need to ensure their own safety and that of others while approaching a suspect.

In contrast, simply having evidence of a crime or witness reports of weapons does not inherently provide the immediate safety rationale needed for a Terry frisk. Additionally, the presence of illegal items in the vehicle does not directly correlate with the officer's assessment of armed danger, as illegal substances or items do not imply that an individual is armed at that moment.