Question

In your best argument, what makes Terry v. Ohio so important to law enforcement officers.

Answer 1

Terry vs. Ohio was a decision made by the United States Supreme Court. This decision is very important for the law enforcemnet officers because it grants law enforcement to take immediate action when their observations of behaviors or situations give them reasonable notice or indication that there is a dangerous situation or there is a risk of imminent harm or danger to others.

When time is of the essense, officers do not need to obtain a warrant to stop or investigate. The court states "When an officer is justified in believing that the individual whose suspicious behavior he is investigating at close range is armed and presently dangerous to the officer or to others, it would appear to be clearly unreasonable to deny the officer the power to take necessary measures to determine whether the person is in fact carrying a weapon and to neutralize the threat of physical harm. It directly helps police officers take action for their personal safety and that of those in the surrounding area.