In re J.S. CA2/4
“When an officer reasonably suspects that an individual whose suspicious behavior he or she is investigating is armed and dangerous to the officer or others, he or she may perform a patsearch for weapons. (Terry v. Ohio [(1968)] 392 U.S. [1,] 24, 30; Giovanni B. v. Superior Court (2007) 152 Cal.App.4th 312, 320; People v. Dickey (1994) 21 Cal.App.4th 952, 955-956; People v. Garcia (2006) 145 Cal.App.4th 782, 786.) The sole justification for the search is the protection of the officer and others nearby, and the search must therefore be confined in scope to an intrusion reasonably designed to discover weapons. (Terry v. Ohio, supra, at p. 29.) A patsearch is a ‘serious intrusion upon the sanctity of the person, which may inflict great indignity and arouse strong resentment, and it is not to be undertaken lightly.’ (Id. at p. 17, fn. omitted.) On the other hand, law enforcement officers have a legitimate need to protect themselves even where they may lack probable cause for an arres
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