100
4 votes
May 31, 2015

They do not have such a right now. An officer has to have a valid reason to initiate a traffic stop. For the officer, there are many, many laws vague enough to offer an excuse to initiate a traffic stop. Also, no driver can actually obey all traffic laws while driving for any length of time. All an officer has to do is follow a car for 5 miles or less and the driver will make a mistake. They will cross a solid line, they will not come to a complete stop, they will weave a bit in their lane, they will go 1mph over the speed limit, they will do something that is off enough to allow a traffic stop. And then there are the modifications that people make to their cars: extra lights, jacked bodies, tinted windows, odd tires, exhaust, etc. These all give an officer a ready excuse to stop a vehicle.

Because of this, there is no reason to give officers MORE leeway.

If your question is to feel out opinions on searches, then you should rephrase your question. However, on searches: If a police office asks if they can search something of yours, you should always say, Officer, I do not give my permission for a search.

You cannot stop a search, but you but the burden of proof on the officer

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