{"jurisdiction": "us-ny", "code": "cpl", "section": "140.50", "citation": "CPL § 140.50", "heading": "Temporary questioning of persons in public places; search for weapons", "text": ["§ 140.50 Temporary questioning of persons in public places; search for", "weapons.", "1. In addition to the authority provided by this article for making an arrest without a warrant, a police officer may stop a person in a public place located within the geographical area of such officer's employment when he reasonably suspects that such person is committing, has committed or is about to commit either (a) a felony or (b) a misdemeanor defined in the penal law, and may demand of him his name, address and an explanation of his conduct.", "2. Any person who is a peace officer and who provides security services for any court of the unified court system may stop a person in or about the courthouse to which he is assigned when he reasonably suspects that such person is committing, has committed or is about to commit either (a) a felony or (b) a misdemeanor defined in the penal law, and may demand of him his name, address and an explanation of his conduct.", "3. When upon stopping a person under circumstances prescribed in subdivisions one and two a police officer or court officer, as the case may be, reasonably suspects that he is in danger of physical injury, he may search such person for a deadly weapon or any instrument, article or substance readily capable of causing serious physical injury and of a sort not ordinarily carried in public places by law-abiding persons. If he finds such a weapon or instrument, or any other property possession of which he reasonably believes may constitute the commission of a crime, he may take it and keep it until the completion of the questioning, at which time he shall either return it, if lawfully possessed, or arrest such person.", "4. In cities with a population of one million or more, information that establishes the personal identity of an individual who has been stopped, questioned and/or frisked by a police officer or peace officer, such as the name, address or social security number of such person, shall not be recorded in a computerized or electronic database if that individual is released without further legal action; provided, however, that this subdivision shall not prohibit police officers or peace officers from including in a computerized or electronic database generic characteristics of an individual, such as race and gender, who has been stopped, questioned and/or frisked by a police officer or peace officer."], "official_source": "https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/CPL/140.50", "from_official_api": true, "plain_english": "A police officer may briefly stop and question someone he reasonably suspects of a felony or Penal Law misdemeanor, and may frisk for weapons if he fears injury.\n- **(1)** Within the officer's geographical area of employment, a **police officer** who **reasonably suspects** a person in a public place is committing, has committed or is about to commit a **felony or Penal Law misdemeanor** may stop the person and **demand name, address and an explanation of conduct**. ★\n- **(2)** A **peace officer providing court security** has the same power **in or about the assigned courthouse**.\n- **(3)** If the officer **reasonably suspects danger of physical injury**, he may **search for a deadly weapon** or an instrument readily capable of serious physical injury not ordinarily carried by law-abiding people. He may keep it, or other property he reasonably believes is criminal to possess, until questioning ends, then must **return it if lawfully possessed or arrest the person**. ★\n- **(4)** In a city of **1,000,000 or more**, if the person is released without further legal action, **police officers and peace officers** may not record identifying information such as name, address or Social Security number in a computerized or electronic database; generic characteristics such as race and gender may be recorded.", "in_force_on": "2026-05-31", "retrieved": "2026-09-27", "url": "https://elyphived.com/us-ny/cpl/140.50", "publisher": "Elyphived LLC"}