During the initial stages of a frisk, an officer feels a soft object about the size of a quarter in the suspect's coat pocket. Realizing that it is not a weapon and unable to conclude that the item is contraband, courts have ruled that without further probable cause the officer should:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The officer should cease and desist with the search once he realizes that the object felt is not a weapon and without probable cause to believe that it is contraband. The Fourth Amendment protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures, and courts have ruled that a frisk should only be for weapons or contraband. Feeling a soft object the size of a quarter does not provide sufficient probable cause to continue with the search.

During the Initial Stages of a Frisk, an Officer Feels