Final answer:
For a police officer to carry out a Terry stop on a suspect who is believed to be armed and dangerous, the correct action is to detain the suspect briefly for questioning and possibly frisk the suspect for weapons, in accordance with Terry v. Ohio and the Fourth Amendment.
Step-by-step explanation:
The recommended course of action for a police officer who reasonably believes a suspect is armed and dangerous and wants to carry out a Terry stop is to c) Detain the suspect briefly for questioning and potentially frisk the suspect for weapons. This is in line with the principles established in the landmark case Terry v. Ohio, which allows police officers to stop and frisk a suspect without a warrant based on reasonable suspicion. The goal of this stop is to ensure officer safety by ascertaining if the suspect is indeed carrying a weapon.
However, this does not allow for an extensive search; it's a limited search for weapons only. It is also crucial that the police comply with the Fourth Amendment, which mandates that any search or seizure must be based on probable cause. The Supreme Court has ruled that the expectation of privacy is less in certain situations, such as during a Terry stop, allowing officers to conduct a pat-down for weapons if there is reasonable suspicion.
Regarding search warrants, while they are required for full searches, they are not generally needed for a frisk during a Terry stop. If, during the stop, the police develop probable cause, they may arrest the suspect without a warrant for felonies or misdemeanors witnessed by the officer.