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What are my rights when a police officer wants to search my vehicle?

To answer this question and a number of others that I will address in the coming days, let’s start with a quote from the United States Constitution – Fourth Amendment:

The right of persons to the security of their persons, houses, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated, and warrants shall not be issued, except for probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be is to be searched and the persons or things to be seized.

Now, that language is pretty heavy and definitely not written in the plain language that each of us speaks with on a daily basis, so let me rephrase it in a way that is more readable and understandable:

A person, his house, his documentation and his personal property will not be searched or possessed for an unreasonable purpose (by the Government). In addition, a warrant is required and can only be issued if probable cause is presented to a judge supported by someone who cares about the truth of your statement, and the affidavit must specifically describe the location to be searched and the person or things to take.

So to address this question, I draw on my experience as a former police officer and criminal defense attorney. Let me start by describing a scenario that each of us witnesses almost daily. You are driving down the freeway and you see a car stopped on the shoulder of a road and behind it is a black and white car with red and blue flashing lights. An officer is standing at the window of the vehicle, talking to the Driver, who is the sole occupant. The officer tells the Driver that he wants to search the vehicle. What happens from here?

The general rule: An officer may stop and drive a car if he or she has a reasonable and articulated suspicion that the motorist has violated a traffic law. Once the vehicle has stopped on the side of the road, the Fourth Amendment allows the officer to search the interior of the vehicle by looking through the windows; This is the “naked eye” or “naked eye” rule that has developed in case law and is part of the “automobile exception” to the 4th Amendment’s warrant requirement.

However, the trunk of a vehicle cannot be searched unless the officer has probable cause to believe it contains contraband or the instrumentality of criminal activity, and similarly, the officer cannot search locked containers or a locked glove compartment. locked unless the same presents the type of probable cause. When the vehicle is impounded, its contents can be inventoried without a warrant, including the contents of the trunk and any containers found inside.

The rationale for allowing warrantless car searches is that the mobility of cars would allow drivers to get away with incriminating evidence in the time it would take police to obtain a search warrant. The Court has held that a person expects less privacy in a car than at home and when you think about it, this is reasonable: you are driving down the road in a vehicle that anyone, not just an officer, can look out of the windows and see what’s inside.

As the driver of the vehicle, you can do a couple of things:

1) Consent to search, if you have absolutely nothing to hide or hide in the vehicle and want to speed up the process; Prayed

2) Refusal to allow the officer to search the vehicle.

If you choose to decline the officer’s search request, you should ask the officer if you are under arrest and, if not, why you want to search your vehicle. However, the officer may not give you a complete answer as to why he is requesting to search the space. Denying an officer’s search request is not an admission of guilt, although the officer may tell you that if he has nothing to hide he should allow the search.

The officer may insist on searching your car. He clearly states, “I do not consent to this search,” but follow the officer’s instructions. He repeats repeatedly, but politely and firmly, that he is not consenting to the search, as the likelihood of the statement being recorded is high, at least according to most departmental policies. This recording will be invaluable in a subsequent court proceeding, should it arise. But no matter what he does, he does not interfere with the search and do not touch the officer, as either of these actions is likely to get him arrested.

Additionally, the officer may place you in the patrol car or even handcuff you and have you sit on the curb while they search. Again, this doesn’t mean he’s under arrest, but it’s likely to be labeled an “officer security” tactic. This typically occurs if there is only one officer and multiple occupants in a vehicle or if the officer knows that backup is not nearby. If the officer handcuffs you, DO NOT RESIST and provide a reason for the arrest.

Another situation that can arise is that an officer orders the occupants to get out of a vehicle because he is going to search it. This type of search is based on probable cause. For example, if the officer approaches a vehicle and smells what “training and experience” tells him is marijuana or another illegal substance, he does not have to obtain consent to search the vehicle. However, the officer may ask for consent because then there is little room to challenge the search later, except by asserting that the search was not voluntary or freely given… that is, the search was under duress. In this situation, even if he refuses to consent, the officer can still search the vehicle. Again, if this happens, do not resist and do not create problems. You can always challenge the registration in court and the more cooperative you have been (in following instructions), the better result you can get later on.

The information in this article is not specific to any state and if you find that you or your vehicle or property has been searched or seized, you should contact a criminal defense attorney without delay if you believe your rights may have been violated. A good defense attorney will be able to answer your questions about what happened and determine if you have a valid claim or case. And it is very important that you inform your attorney of what happened as quickly as possible, especially if you are facing criminal charges as a result of the search, as evidence found as a result of an illegal search will likely be excluded from any proceedings. against you.

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