What is a Terry frisk?

A Terry frisk is primarily defined as a limited search for weapons, which is conducted by law enforcement during a stop-and-frisk encounter. This type of search is based on the legal precedent established in the landmark case Terry v. Ohio, where the U.S. Supreme Court held that an officer may conduct a brief, non-intrusive search of a person’s outer clothing if the officer has a reasonable suspicion that the person is armed and dangerous. The purpose of this frisk is not to find evidence of a crime but to ensure the safety of the officer and those around them by checking for any weapons.

The nature of a Terry frisk is distinct in that it is not a full search or an arrest, and it is limited to the outer clothing. This ensures that the intrusion on the person's Fourth Amendment rights is minimized while still allowing for the protection of the officer. The other options either describe searches with broader scopes or different legal contexts that do not fit the specific criteria and limitations set by the Terry doctrine.