Quote:
Originally Posted by Banshee
What is the 4th Amendment?
What is unreasonable? You need probable cause or reasonable suspicion.
Can I run any plate I deem necessary on LEIN absent PC or RS? No!
Can I stop ANY vehicle absent PC or RS? No...Why?
The 4th Amendment to the Constitution which covers all citizens absent statutorial law which prevails.
Being a Detroit LEO does not mean we do things differently at all. Law is law. But I definately do use all applicable minor PC infractions such as license plate lamp out or fail to signal to stop a car if I believe crime is afoot. Do I stop and cite for stupid crap like that? Hell no.
I have to follow the law and the Constitution or else I get fired.
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In Massacusetts the police can run any plate because it is prominently displayed out side of the vehicle. After they run the plate and find out who the owner is, they can run a check on the owner for warrants. If a warrant is found, the cop now has probable cause for stopping the car. When we had liberal Mike Dukakis as our governor, he started the drunk driving roadblocks. They were ruled unconstitutional by the supreme court so he got his lawyers to figure out a work around. They came up with this; you can be stopped to get a piece of anti drunk driving literature from the cops provded they are stopping ALL cars. Anything that the officer can plainly see through the window is fair game such as empty beer cans or if you smell like the Anheiser-Bush brewery. But there are no such things as "routine stops". If you were routinely stopped in every town on your way to and from work, you would never get there.