Opinion ID: 1224708
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Search of Rice's person

Text: A lawful frisk does not always flow from a justified stop and detention for questioning. United States v. Thomas, 863 F.2d 622, 628 (9th Cir.1988). If, during the detention, probable cause fully matures, the detention can ripen into an arrestthus, a full search incident to arrest is permissible. Terry, 392 U.S. at 10, 88 S.Ct. at 1874. In addition, a police officer may conduct a reasonable search for weapons for the protection of the police officer, where he has reason to believe that he is dealing with an armed and dangerous individual, regardless of whether he has probable cause to arrest the individual for a crime. The officer need not be absolutely certain the individual is armed; the issue is whether a reasonably prudent man in the circumstances would be warranted in the belief that his safety or that of others was in danger. Id. at 27, 88 S.Ct. at 1883. Because the evidence supports a finding that Smith was reasonable in the belief that his safety was in danger, a limited search for weapons was in order. In this case, Smith testified that his intent was to pat search the backpack and then Rice. However, he testified that before he could do so, he saw the outline of a gun in Rice's pocket. At that point, probable cause fully matured and Smith was authorized to conduct a limited search for weapons. See United States v. Hill, 545 F.2d 1191, 1193 (9th Cir.1976) (a bulge in a suspect's clothing that was consistent with the presence of a weapon was a relevant factor in determining the validity of a frisk).