When is it permissible to frisk the passenger compartments of a car?

It is permissible to frisk the passenger compartments of a car if there is a belief that you or others are in danger. This principle is rooted in the idea that law enforcement officers have the responsibility to ensure their safety as well as the safety of the public during a traffic stop or interaction with individuals in a vehicle.

The legal justification for a frisk comes from the Terry v. Ohio decision, which allows for a limited search when an officer has a reasonable suspicion that a person is armed and dangerous. In the context of a vehicle, if an officer perceives a threat—based on the behavior of the occupants, the presence of weapons, or other indicators—they may search the interior for weapons or other threats to their safety.

The other options do not provide the same level of legal justification for conducting a frisk. Simply suspecting illegal activity does not inherently justify a frisk. A vehicle being parked on public property or the driver being uncooperative may raise additional concerns but do not automatically establish the grounds for a safety-related frisk unless there is also a concern for safety in those situations.