My husband was pulled over last night by the state police and treated like a felon and they searched our vehicle just because they were looking for the same type of vehicle b/c of something to do with narcotics. They made him step out of the vehicle and walk backwards to them, empty his pockets, get patted down, tore our vehicle apart searching for drugs, even looked underneath it, then said sorry apparently you're not the person we're looking for, have a nice night. I guess they showed him a warrant type paper saying they could search any vehicle that fit our type vehicle? Are they allowed to do that? I thought they had to have a license plate number or at least suspect description. I didnt think they could just search any vehicle that looks like the one they're looking for. We have a Jeep and there's tons of them around here. If that would have been me and our daughter instead, I would have been scared to death.
2006-12-19 05:36:50 · 14 answers · asked by InternetJunkie83 2 in Politics & Government ➔ Law Enforcement & Police
No he's not black.
And no he didn't make it up.
2006-12-19 05:43:15 · update #1
2
2016-08-30 05:48:40 · answer #1 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One MIGHT say that the officers were profiling, but with the description supposedly matching your vehicle.........they exercised the right to search under the "reasonable cause" rules. They showed a paper you think MAY have been a warrant? Most likely it was and described the vehicle. Understand the license plate can be changed with a different one from an identical vehicle so they HAD to stop all matching vehcles if there was a "BOLO" issued to them. Hard to NOT be mad about it, but they were only doing their jobs. At least they didn't impound the car and detain him until they were finished!
2006-12-19 05:49:53 · answer #2 · answered by Bogy 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Legally, cops can pull anyone over at any time and search all areas of their car within their immediate reach. They did not however, have the right to pat your husband down and search areas of the car that out of his immediate reach whiteout probable cause to do so. But, there really isn't much anyone can do about it. The cops can cite anything even the most insignificant thing as probable cause. You'd have a hard time finding a lawyer who'll take the case. It's sad that your husband had to go through that. Cops think they're above the law and in most cases they're right
2006-12-19 05:50:56 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Warrants are not GENERIC. They have to be VERY SPECIFIC to the exact vehicle, tag, Vehicle ID number, AND owner.
Depending upon the state will determine if you can be searched at random WITHOUT a warrant. In almost every state they can search your vehicle but have to ask your permission first. If you give them permission then so be it.
2006-12-19 05:43:58 · answer #4 · answered by ratdog 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes a similar thing happend to my brother and me. We were in his Mercury Grand Marquis in the same area at the same time that a gas station robbery took place. The suspects were driving a Ford Crown Victoria the same color, and both cars had bumper stickers on them. The police made us get on the pavement and cuffed us and everything. Yes they can do it. It's called reasonable suspicion.
2006-12-19 08:06:54 · answer #5 · answered by ? 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well technically hun they are the police and in their minds they can do as they please...but legally no they can't do that, I mean what happened to the phrase, "Innocent until proven guilty"? But of course that is how the cops are here in Ky. Even though by law they can't do those kind of things, but yet by their books they think that can and they do. I'm sorry that it happened to you all, and I don't think it's fair at all.
2006-12-19 08:00:22 · answer #6 · answered by sweetnsassy3723 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just as most civilians cannot relate to the high levels of stress and danger of police work, most cops cannot relate to civilians who become victims of police harassment.
I have been harassed by law enforcement. And believe me, the feelings last. I've never been arrested. I have been ticketed for speeding once and I deserved it. I hold no grudge for that incident.
2006-12-19 07:57:04 · answer #7 · answered by TarKettle 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Are you sure these were REAL Officers? There IS a group that is so good at looking like the real thing, that you'd have to know a lot about what to look for in order to tell the difference. Your husband may have been one of their "victims"!
2006-12-19 06:18:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
In this instance, yes they can. It's called probable cause, since they were looking for a similar vehicle.
2006-12-19 05:40:06 · answer #9 · answered by jim 6 · 5⤊ 0⤋
Yes, in that case they are fully justified. Often witnesses can only describe (and usually not precisely) the make and color of the car. It's called "probable cause."
2006-12-19 05:41:16 · answer #10 · answered by Timothy S 3 · 4⤊ 0⤋