South Dakota v. Opperman

When vehicles are impounded, officers routinely follow care-taking procedures by securing and inventorying the car’s contents. These procedures developed in response to three distinct needs: (1) to protect the owner’s property while it remains in government custody, (2) to protect the government against claims of lost or stolen property, and (3) to protect officers from potential danger posed by the contents of the car.

In this case, the officer was engaged in a caretaking search of a lawfully impounded automobile. The reasonableness of the search was enhanced because the owner was not present at the time of impoundment to claim his property, and because the officer saw a watch through the window before began his search. In addition, the officer followed a standard procedure, making the search reasonable under the Fourth Amendment.