Which description matches a Terry stop?

• A. A limited investigatory stop permitted based on reasonable suspicion.
• B. A full arrest without a warrant.
• C. A routine traffic stop for a minor infraction.
• D. A warrantless search of a residence.

Answer: (A)

A Terry stop is a brief, investigatory detention based on reasonable suspicion that the person is involved in criminal activity. It allows officers to briefly detain and question someone and, if there’s a reasonable belief the person is armed, to perform a protective frisk for weapons. It is not a full arrest (which requires probable cause) and it is not a search of a residence without a warrant or exigent circumstances. It also differs from routine traffic stops that are typically tied to a traffic violation, not to an assessment of criminal activity. So the best description is a limited investigatory stop permitted based on reasonable suspicion.