Words from the web
A recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling will make it easier for police to search cars without a warrant. Do you think that’s a good thing, or do you have any concerns with that? Do you trust police to not abuse this power?
“This is terrible. Is stop and frisk like NYC next? We are heading for a police state. Welcome to ‘1984.”‘
“The only people with a problem with this are the ones with something to hide!”
“I never had or ever will have anything to hide. But I would have a huge problem with someone searching my belongings. Where does it end? Are our homes next?”
“In NYC they stop and frisk people right on the street. This has nothing to do with being a criminal and everything to do with being treated like one. Everybody complains about TSA at the airport. I assure you everyone who complains doesn’t have something to hide.”
“It’s the same thing as with the NSA. I have nothing to hide, but I also have an inherent right to privacy.”
“Homes will not be next. However, phones may be. This just set the Pennsylvania law with federal law. Here is how it will work: Officer stops a person for a routine traffic stop. They smell weed in the car. They then have the ability to search the vehicle. In the old way, they would stop the car, detain the person, either have the car towed, or call a magistrate and get a warrant. Same result, just longer amount of time. The police have to have probable cause to search the vehicle. Now let’s say that the officer smells weed, searches the car, finds a gun, but no weed. There will be a suppression hearing before trial, and that will likely be tossed out of court. Probable cause will be argued in front of the court. In some ways, there will be more rights for defendants. Why? Because a court will likely not overthrow a warrant issued by a DJ but will toss a cop’s probable cause out.”
“I have nothing to hide, and I have a problem with it. But let’s not pretend that the police don’t have very easy ways to search your car nowaday anyway. From ‘suspicious’ behavior (he was fidgeting, and I saw him try to hide something) to forcing a dog to alert to nothing. But the best way cops have to search your vehicle that most people, even those who have contraband, say yes.”
“Do you guys realize that “probable cause” means anything from more than one air freshener hanging from your rear view, or a cigar wrapper? The list goes on of seemingly normal things that fall under probable cause.”