Colorado Courts on Cannabis, K-9s, and Car Searches
How Are Colorado Courts Handling Cannabis, K-9s, and Car Searches? Overview The Colorado Constitution, Amendment 64 legalizes possessing up to 1 ounce of marijuana by individuals aged 21 or over. Thus, adults in Colorado have a reasonable expectation of privacy in possessing the amount legal under State law. As a result, the Colorado Supreme Court […]
Illinois Courts on Marijuana Odor and Probable Cause
What Illinois Courts Say About the Odor of Marijuana and Probable Cause under the Automobile Exception Overview Illinois residents aged 21 or older may legally possess up to 30 grams of cannabis (marijuana). However, cannabis may not be used in a motor vehicle, nor be accessible to car occupants. The Illinois Supreme Court has held […]
COPS: Think twice before breaking that lock!
An officer conducts a traffic stop. During the encounter, the officer asks the driver whether there are any firearms in the vehicle. The driver answers yes and explains there is a handgun secured inside a locked safe located in the center console. The firearm is lawful to possess under state law, and the driver appears […]
Can Weed Odor Justify a Vehicle Search?
An officer conducts a traffic stop in Texas with multiple occupants in the vehicle. During the stop, the officer detects the odor of marijuana coming from inside the car. Marijuana remains illegal under Texas law. Based on the odor, officers decide to search the vehicle. Without asking for consent and without deciding to make an […]
Towing a Fleeing Suspect’s Car From a Driveway
An officer from Illinois describes a situation involving aggravated fleeing or attempting to elude a peace officer, which is classified as a felony under state law. The statute provides that the motor vehicle used in the violation is subject to seizure and forfeiture. In some cases, officers later locate the suspect’s vehicle parked and unattended. […]
Searching Vehicles on Curtilage
Officers attempt to stop a vehicle, and the stop is initiated before the vehicle reaches a residence. The driver continues and pulls into a driveway. Officers make contact in the driveway and develop probable cause to believe there is evidence of a crime inside the vehicle. The vehicle is now parked adjacent to the home, […]
Can a Minor Infraction Lead to a Vehicle Search?
Officers in California encounter an illegally parked vehicle at approximately 3:00 a.m. The occupant is inside the vehicle sleeping. Under local municipal code, sleeping in a vehicle is a misdemeanor, but officers typically issue a citation rather than make an arrest. The violation provides lawful grounds for a detention. When officers approach and attempt to […]
Did the 2nd Circuit Allow Police to See Into Tinted Windows With Cell Phones
Officers were serving an arrest warrant at a suspect’s apartment. While at the location, they observed the suspect’s vehicle parked in a parking lot. The vehicle had tinted windows that prevented officers from seeing inside with the naked eye. An officer used a cell phone camera and held it up near the tinted window. By […]
Stop and Frisk on Traffic Stop
Officers lawfully stop a vehicle. While the primary officer is contacting the driver, a cover officer makes contact with the passenger. The passenger is asked whether she has any weapons. She discloses that she has a knife inside her purse and voluntarily hands the knife to the officer. The officer has the passenger step out […]
What Do We Do if We Make Stop Under KS V Glover and the Driver Refuses to ID
An officer in California runs a license plate and learns that the registered owner has a suspended driver’s license. It is dark and the windows are tinted, so the officer cannot see who is driving. Based on that information, the officer stops the vehicle to investigate a possible violation. When the officer contacts the driver, […]
Understanding the Human Threat Response: Freeze, Flight, and Fight
In the complex and dynamic world of law enforcement, the ability to recognize and interpret human behavior under stress is a powerful asset. The human threat response—commonly referred to as freeze, flight, and fight—is a survival mechanism hardwired into our biology. Many times, you will hear the order of those responses be referred to differently, […]
The Moment of Visual Recognition: “Understanding Nonverbal Distancing Behaviors in Proactive Policing”
Why Criminals React to the Presence of Police: The Psychology Behind Evasion and Distancing Behavior In the world of law enforcement and behavioral observation, a common and often telling occurrence is the reaction of certain individuals upon the mere sight of a uniformed officer. Officers patrolling city streets frequently encounter people who abruptly alter their […]
“Looking Busy” Why do people do this in response to seeing a perceived threat?
Remember: A threat does not have to be something that can physically hurt the person such as a predatory animals. A threat can be a boss who is about to catch the person slacking off, a teacher who is about to call on the student who was not paying attention and will not be able […]
Tell-Tale Tension: Pre-Flight Indicators and Behavioral Cues of Criminals for Police
In the dynamic world of patrol, the moments before a suspect flees on foot often hold a wealth of information—if an officer knows what to look for. Criminals rarely act without warning; their bodies betray their intentions long before their feet hit the pavement. Understanding pre-flight indicators and extreme nervousness cues is a vital component […]
Advice for New Officers, When Can I Search a Car?
Understanding Probable Cause in Law Enforcement: Insights for New Officers As a new officer in law enforcement, one of the questions that can often arise during traffic stops is how to determine when you have enough probable cause to search a vehicle. It’s not always immediately clear, and the decision-making process can seem ambiguous at […]