Stop and frisk: the power and the obligation of the police.

• Jurisdiction: United States
• Date: 22 June 1999
• Author: Inbau, Fred E.

On June 10, the Supreme Court of the United States, in the case of Terry v. Ohio, rendered a decision that will greatly aid the police in their efforts to prevent crime and apprehend criminals. That decision, however, must not be interpreted by the police as a green light for indiscriminate, arbitrary stopping and frisking, or for any other unworthy purpose.

Americans for Effective Law Enforcement, Inc., a non-partisan, non-political, not-for-profit educational corporation, which was founded last Summer for the purpose of advancing the cause of effective law enforcement, filed an "amicus curiae" (friend of the Court) brief in the Terry case last November. It urged the Court to rule as it did.

Upon the reasonable assumption that our brief had a persuasive effect upon the Supreme Court, we feel privileged to now admonish the police to assume the proper responsibility that must accompany this privilege so newly sanctioned by the Court.

The Terry decision only authorizes action upon reasonable suspicion of criminality and a frisking reasonably...