What is the primary purpose of a frisk of a suspect's outer garments?

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Multiple Choice

What is the primary purpose of a frisk of a suspect's outer garments?

A frisk is a brief, protective pat-down of a suspect’s outer clothing when the officer has reasonable suspicion the person is armed and dangerous. The primary purpose is officer safety: to quickly detect any weapon that could be used against the officer during the encounter. It is a limited measure, not a full search of the person, and it isn’t meant to uncover contraband or gather evidence. If something immediately identifiable as a weapon is found, it can be seized; otherwise, a full search would require additional justification.

A frisk is a brief, protective pat-down of a suspect’s outer clothing when the officer has reasonable suspicion the person is armed and dangerous. The primary purpose is officer safety: to quickly detect any weapon that could be used against the officer during the encounter. It is a limited measure, not a full search of the person, and it isn’t meant to uncover contraband or gather evidence. If something immediately identifiable as a weapon is found, it can be seized; otherwise, a full search would require additional justification.

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