Under what conditions can police conduct a "stop and frisk" in Utah?

The correct answer is based on the principle of "stop and frisk," which is rooted in the Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, as interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court in the landmark case Terry v. Ohio. In Utah, as in other jurisdictions, police officers can conduct a stop and frisk when they have reasonable suspicion that an individual is engaged in criminal activity and may be armed. This means that the officer must have specific, articulable facts that lead them to believe the person could potentially be dangerous or involved in a crime.

Reasonable suspicion is a lower standard than probable cause, which is required for arrest and obtaining a search warrant. This allows officers to take precautionary measures to ensure their safety and that of the public while they investigate further. The "stop" refers to the temporary detention of a person for brief questioning, and the "frisk" is a limited pat-down of the outer clothing to check for weapons.

Conditions such as having probable cause to arrest, needing a warrant, or conducting stops during routine traffic checks do not align with the standards set for a stop and frisk, as they either exceed the necessary justification or do not apply to the specific context of this investigatory procedure.