What does the Terry exception allow police to do?

The Terry exception, which arises from the Supreme Court case Terry v. Ohio (1968), permits law enforcement officers to stop and search a suspect if they have a reasonable suspicion that the individual is armed and poses a danger to the officer or others. This means that the officer does not need probable cause for an arrest, but they must have specific and articulable facts that lead them to believe the person may be involved in criminal activity and could be carrying a weapon.

This is significant because it strikes a balance between individual rights and the need for police to ensure their safety and the safety of the public. The Terry exception allows for a limited search (known as a “stop and frisk”) that is intended only to uncover weapons, rather than to dig into more invasive, comprehensive searches without substantial evidence to support them.

In the context of the other options: conducting random searches without justification is not permitted under the Terry doctrine, as there needs to be reasonable suspicion. Arresting any individual on the street without evidence goes against the Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures. Lastly, searching any vehicle without probable cause or reasonable suspicion also falls outside the scope of the Terry exception, which is specifically limited to stops of persons suspected of being armed and dangerous.