During a voluntary contact, officers are permitted to do which of the following?

In a voluntary contact situation, officers are allowed to ask if the person is willing to answer questions. This is because a voluntary contact does not entail any coercion, and the individual has the right to refuse to engage in conversation or to answer questions. The nature of a voluntary contact is such that the individual is free to leave and is not being detained, so any interaction should respect their autonomy and willingness to participate.

The ability to ask if a person is willing to answer questions is fundamental in maintaining a non-confrontational and consensual interaction between law enforcement and civilians. By asking for permission to ask questions, officers are reinforcing the voluntary nature of the contact.

The other options involve actions that could infringe upon an individual’s rights or suggest an authoritative stance that is not appropriate during a voluntary engagement. For instance, demanding a search or using physical force contradicts the voluntary nature of the encounter.