What does the plain touch/feel doctrine allow an officer to do during a pat down?

The plain touch/feel doctrine permits a law enforcement officer to seize items that are immediately recognizable as contraband during a pat-down search. This doctrine is an extension of the principles established in the plain view doctrine, which allows officers to seize evidence without a warrant if it's clearly visible.

During a pat-down, if an officer feels an object that is immediately identifiable as illegal or contraband—such as a bag of drugs or a weapon—they are permitted to confiscate that item without having to conduct further searches or extensive examination. This doctrine balances the need for officer safety and the protection of constitutional rights by ensuring that searches are limited to what is necessary for a lawful investigation.

In contrast, manipulating objects inside pockets or searching compartments of a vehicle would exceed the bounds of a pat-down, as would a full body search, which is generally more intrusive and requires a higher standard of probable cause or different legal justification.