The Two-step Terry Analysis requires two elements: 1) a person engaged in criminal activity and 2) what?

• A. Plain View Discovery
• B. Consent to Search
• C. Probable Cause to Arrest
• D. Reasonable Suspicion to Believe the Suspect Is Armed

Answer: (D)

The concept being tested is the Terry Stop’s two-step approach focused on officer safety. After establishing reasonable suspicion that the person is involved in criminal activity, the second element requires a reasonable belief that the suspect is armed and dangerous. That belief justifies a quick protective frisk of the outer clothing to check for weapons. The frisk is designed as a minimal intrusion to ensure the officer’s safety, not a full-blown search or an arrest based on probable cause.

Plain View Discovery isn’t about starting a frisk; consent to search would authorize a search by agreement, not based on the suspect’s risk level. Probable cause to arrest is a higher standard for arrest itself and isn’t the trigger for the protective frisk under Terry. Therefore, the correct second element is that the officer has reasonable suspicion the suspect is armed and dangerous.