Really good podcast on Terry stops and frisks.

[F4GIB]

Here's a discussion from the FLETC (where all the non-FBI feds are trained):

Okay. Let’s start with Terry Stops. A Terry Stop, as you know, is an investigative detention of a suspect. We can conduct one with reasonable suspicion that criminal activities is a foot. An agent can stop a suspect and investigate that person for a reasonable period of time. And, even though that’s not a formal arrest, it is a seizure. The suspect’s not free to leave during that Terry Stop. The agent’s going to control that stop and can even use reasonable force to stop the suspect and keep him there while the agent does his investigation.

Now in addition to a Terry Stop, there’s another legal tool that’s similar, it’s called a Terry Frisk. After legally detaining the suspect in that Terry Stop, if the agent also has reasonable suspicion that the suspect’s presently armed and dangerous, then the agent can conduct a limited search of that suspect’s outer clothing for weapons. Now weapons are basically anything that can be used to hurt the officer. So the search is going to be limited to searching for hard objects that the suspect could use to hurt the officer like guns, pocket knives, mace, clubs, … it’s not limited to just those things we ordinarily think are weapons. It could also be things like car keys or pens because those could hurt an officer as well.

There is more in the podcast transcript posted at: http://www.fletc.gov/training/progr...h-amendment-transcripts/terry-stop-frisk.html

 

[Sage of Seattle]

Great info, thanks!

 

[DMF]

. . . the FLETC (where all the non-FBI feds are trained):

That is not correct. The FBI, DEA, US Postal Inspectors, and Army CID, all maintain their own basic academies for Criminal Investigators that are not part of the FLETC system.

 

[F4GIB]

DMF, Do they teach different legal rules at those academies (outside of the few differences expressly required by the UCMJ)?

 

[DMF]

I can't tell you how each and ever academy teaches Terry v. Ohio, as I've only attended one basic academy with the feds. However, I was simply pointing out that other fed agencies also have basic academies that are not part of the FLETC system. I know you hate having your errors pointed out, especially by me, but life is tough.

 

[Blacksmoke]

Terry Stops and Terry Searches are creatures of case law interpretation stemming from the case Terry v. Ohio. The one universal conclusion is that the officer must be able to describe, in an articulate manner, the various facts that led to the detention and the search. The arguments must be understandable by a reasonable person who is also a civilian; aka The Jury. Falling short of that standard will, most likely, cause any evidence found to be excluded later.

Terry Stops are no free fishing expedition for the cops.

 

[Pat-inCO]

Is the sky really falling?