An officer stops a person travelling in their car based on reasonable suspicion.The officer requests that the person step out of the vehicle and the person complies.The officer immediately notices a tattoo on the arm of the person that is common among members of a particular gang in the area known to engage in violence toward officers,thus giving the officer reasonable suspicion to believe the person may be armed.The officer has not secured the person.At this point the officer:

Question

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Based on the circumstances presented, the officer has reasonable suspicion to believe the person may be armed. As a result, the officer can conduct a frisk of the person for weapons, in accordance with Terry v. Ohio. The frisk is limited to a pat-down of the person's outer clothing, and does not extend to a full search of the person's body. Additionally, the officer can search any part of the passenger compartment where a weapon could be kept, including the glove compartment, console, or other areas within reach of the driver or passenger. However, the officer cannot search the trunk of the car without probable cause or a search warrant.

An Officer Stops a Person Travelling in Their Car Based