Reading Room Document

Stop and Frisk Guidelines for the D.C. Police

This document provides guidelines for stop and frisk procedures for the D.C. Police, based on unresolved questions regarding the constitutional limitations of a police officer's power in these situations. The proposed stop guideline allows a police officer to stop, frisk, and question any person in a public place whom he reasonably suspects is committing, has committed, or is about to commit a felony or misdemeanor. The document also outlines the scope of questions, refusal to stop, Miranda warnings, refusal to furnish identification, refusal to answer questions, length of stop, voluntary trip to a telephone or precinct, unsatisfactory answers, and the proposed frisk guideline. The frisk guideline allows an officer to search for weapons if there are reasonable grounds to believe the person is armed and dangerous, with the sole purpose of protecting the officer and others nearby from harm.

October 17, 1968