When an officer believes an individual is armed and presently dangerous to the officer or to others, can the officer use force to neutralize the threat of physical harm?

California, United States of America


The following excerpt is from People v. Berrigan, F067985 (Cal. App. 2015):

When an officer holds a justifiable belief that an individual "is armed and presently dangerous to the officer or to others," the officer may "take necessary measures to determine whether the person is in fact carrying a weapon and to neutralize the threat of physical harm." (Terry v. Ohio (1968) 392 U.S. 1, 24.)

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