Jake

Is there any way to get the police to stop searching you?

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Since I've been driving (for one and a half years) I've been pulled over and searched four times. Every single time the reasons for being pulled over were questionable. The only "real" violation I've received is a repair order for a broken tag light. Every single time, I've been sober, the car smelled clean, and within 10 seconds of being pulled over, 4-5 more cop cars come in for back up.

I'm afraid I've been "red-listed" , which I don't even know is a real list or anything. But it just amazes me how over-zealous the cops are. I get this paranoid feeling that they know I'm a stoner and they want to arrest me.

Every time this happens, I give complete consent for searches.

Next time this happens, could I explain to them "look, you guys have searched me a lot. It always takes half an hour or more and it's always been a waste of time. Can I not give consent this time?" I've never even asked an officer what his probable cause was, but during one encounter, I had an off-beat conversation with one of the officers where I admitted that as a teenager driving around with another teenager, late at night, that could be probable cause enough.

On Thursday night, it was just horrible. It was straight-up profiling: I went into a ghetto to pick up my black friend (my black friend is really white though) and left. When I was leaving, I noticed two cops driving around, and I saw one speed away to get to the exit much before I would. When we pulled out of the neighborhood, I noticed the same cop pulled into a parking lot exit right across from me. "Jesus Christ" I thought because I knew what was about to happen. Sure enough as I pull out, he pulls out behind me. Pulls me over two seconds later. 6 cop cars immediately come to the scene.

I keep my van clean, I don't even really smoke outside of the house or a friend's house anymore.

All I want is for the cops to stop bullshitting me. I wish they'd come up to my window and say "yo I think you got some illegal drugs in here, so I'm gonna search it." And I wish they could search faster. I have an armrest that is broken in my van, and it was chilling in the back of my van, I think I was planning on fixing it one day. The cops flip out when they find it, so I volunteer my box-cutters and I tell them to slice it open. They do, and there's no drugs. It's just like Jesus, it's getting cold and I've been sitting on this curb for half an hour being treated like an animal. Hurry up I don't care what you have to do, cut up my whole fucking upholstery, I don't give a shit about this 13 year old van. They didn't cut up my upholstery though.

I give cops all of the respect in the world, and I don't like this shit.

I wish I'd just get an apology for wasting all of our time.

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Lit_Match

If I were in your shoes, I would refuse consent to search my person or property. If they pulled you for a tail light they need to have reasonable articulable suspicion to further investigate for any other crime that isn't in plain site. Other than that their job is to give you your ticket and go about their business.

If they did search I'd take them to court, regardless whether they found anything or not. After being stopped as many times as you say you have I would expect a check from the city somewhere in the area of $30,000.

There are plenty of supreme court cases that deal with searches without the officer having reasonable articulable suspicion, much less probable cause.

Find a good lawyer in your area and keep their card with you at all times. My .02

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Donation links to NORML (The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws) | MPP (Marijuana Policy Project)

LowRider

Officier can ask to search no matter what the traffic stop. if he consented the cop will search. also he should know he had the right to stop the search at any time.

And since we are on the search thing what is a reasonable amount of time to wiat for a k-9 to come out?

And this is for everyone here. If you get pulled over for a traffic violation and the cop hands back your ticket/citation and DL you can leave. they can't hold you any longer. there was a case in 98 i think the Supreme Court ruled on.

I need LUNCH

You do not have to consent to searches. this is the reason for many people being in jail right now; they consented to search, when they could have said "officer, I do not consent to a search of my person or vehicle." if the officer has no probable cause, he must obtain a warrant to search you.

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"When you blame yourself, you learn from it. If you blame someone else, you don't learn nothing, cause hey, it's not your fault, it's his fault, over there." -Joey Strummer

haskins69

as much as I hate to say it , saying no to a search just get's you harassed longer , and sue the cops !!! you are aware the people you'll be making your case in front of , are the same folk's sending these cops on their missions daily. and yes you may win if your case goes all the way to the surpreme court , but that takes years [ you have to go though local , and state courts first ] and if you win they will find a way to get even [ can you say planted evidence] no to me the smartist thing would be get a new ride [ so they don't know you on site ] and avoid all spots that lead them to fuck with you before ....and of course pray because contrary to peoples belief we don't live in a free country the law does what it wants when it wants and worries about how to hide it later . if you don't believe me we look at the word terrorist a 60's protester is now called a domestic terrorist , why because if he get out of line acording to the powers in charge they already have him labeled and a good label get's you public support labels like drug dealer , drug addict have been used up till now but adding terrorist to gives them more power . no I would change habits and cars instead of fight them , hell we play by the rules , they change the rules as needed !!!! so beware

Marvin420

You need to stop giving them a reason for stopping you. Keep your nose clean, drive the speed limit, be respectful towards the cops, don't horse ass around.

I need LUNCH

This is good advise. I always tend to get out of a sticky situation with the police by being respectful towards them. true, I do hate police with a passion, but in the end of the day, they are just like us, doing their own job.

homemadebubbler

I dont see a problem with you explaining to the officer (assuming you get searched again) the same thing you just explained to us. Deny his search, but let him know why. Explain youve been searched numerous times, nothing has every been found, and you simply don't feel like going through the hassle.

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When they took the 4th Amendment away I was quiet because I didnt deal drugs//When they took the 6th Amendment away I was quiet because Id never been arrested//When they took the 2nd Amendment away I was quiet because I didnt own a gun//Now they took the 1st Amendment and all I can do is be quiet...

TheMeatball

It's not a bold move to refused consent. It's a constitutional right. Just politely tell the officer you do not consent to any searches. You don't have to give any reason. You don't have to justify. You simply don't consent to any searches. Judging from your post, I can tell you right now he won't search you if you don't consent.

Marvin420

You need to watch Barry Cooper's "Never get Busted" movie. He'll tell you the opposite. When you refuse a consent to search, that just sets off all kinds of alarms for the police. He recommends that you find a real good hiding place for your weed. If you consent, he'll do a quick look around and be out of your hair.

That movie was a real eye opener. He shows you ways to beat the drug dogs and how to keep your plants from being detected from a helicopter.