Warren Court rules 8-1 that police may stop and briefly detain people based on reasonable articulable suspicion and may pat down outer clothing if officers reasonably fear for their safety

The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 on June 10, 1968, that a police officer with specific articulable facts suggesting criminal activity may stop a person briefly and, if the officer reasonably believes the person is armed and dangerous, may conduct a limited pat-down for weapons. Chief Justice Warren's majority created a new "reasonable suspicion" standard — lower than probable cause — for brief investigative detentions and weapons frisks. Justice Douglas dissented alone, arguing that authorizing searches without judicial approval was a step toward totalitarianism. The ruling created the two-tiered 4th Amendment framework still governing police-citizen encounters today.