What is required for an officer to conduct a stop and frisk?

To conduct a stop and frisk, an officer must have reasonable suspicion that a person is involved in criminal activity and may be armed and dangerous. This standard is lower than probable cause, which is required for making an arrest or obtaining a search warrant. Reasonable suspicion allows officers to briefly detain an individual for questioning and to perform a limited pat-down search (the "frisk") for weapons if they have a belief that the person may pose a threat. This legal standard is designed to balance police safety and individuals' rights, ensuring that officers have enough specific facts to justify their actions without infringing on personal freedoms.

The other options do not meet the legal threshold needed for a stop and frisk. Probable cause is necessary for more invasive actions like arrests, while consent requires explicit permission from the individual, which is not a requirement for a stop and frisk. Personal observation, while potentially useful, does not alone provide the necessary standard of reasonable suspicion without additional context or facts.