Thomas & Means

VEHICLE STOPS AND SEARCHES
Legal and Tactical Considerations

The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that all searches and seizures must be reasonable. Determining the reasonableness of a search or seizure involves balancing the individual’s right to be free and left alone by law enforcement with the occasional need of law enforcement to interfere with privacy and freedom in order to investigate crime and enforce laws. This program will discuss the legal concepts and requirements associated with vehicle stops and searches. In addition, there is an optional second day focused on tactical options and considerations that are consistent with legal requirements.

Course Length:
One to Two Days

Featured Topics:

Vehicle Stops and the Fourth Amendment
- Seizures and Non-seizures
- The Reasonableness Requirement
  - Reasonable Suspicion
  - Probable Cause
  - Limits on Authority to Stop
  - Case Studies
- Impermissible Considerations
  - Race
  - National Origin
  - Gender
  - Stereotypes vs. Legitimate Suspicions
- Post Stop Tactics and Issues
  - Driver
  - Passenger(s)
  - Limits on Authority and Control
  - Use of Force
  - Post Stop Syndrome
Searches of Vehicles and Person(s) and Container(s) Therein
- Consent to Search
  - Requirements
  - Case Studies
- Weapons Frisk
  - Required Justification
  - Frisk of Vehicle Occupant(s)
  - Frisk of Passenger Compartment
  - Closed Containers Case Studies: Justification and Permissible Scope
- Search Incident to Arrest (SITA)
  - Justification
  - Permissible Scope
- Motor Vehicle Exception to the Search Warrant Requirement
  - History
  - The Carroll Decision
  - Coolidge v. New Hampshire
  - California v. Acevedo
  - The Probable Cause Requirement
  - Permissible Scope – New Cases
- Inventory searches
  - Justification
  - Permissible Scope
(Optional) Tactical Considerations
- S.E.T.© Principle – Safety, Efficiency, and Transition.
- Threat Perception Pyramid –designed to enhance officer understanding and application of perceptual cues necessary to foster officer and citizen safety, consistent with all applicable legal requirements.
- Decision-making – consisting of critical formulation criteria: law, logic, and tactics, integrated into traffic stop methodology.
- Deployment Protocols – a composite of proven tactics, based upon operational safety and efficiency, contact effectiveness, and legality.
- Low Risk Vehicle Stop
  - Definition
  - Fundamental Procedures
- High Risk Vehicle Stop
  - Definition
  - Fundamental Procedures
- Transitional Risk Vehicle Stop
  - Definition
  - Fundamental Procedures
- Street Critique Checklist © - for supervisors, trainers, and/or individual officers to critique stops and obtain functional feedback.
- High Risk Vehicles
  - Definition
  - Fundamental Procedures
- Non-compliant Subjects
  - Assessment Criteria
  - Fundamental Control Tactics
- Forcible Stop Techniques
  - General Considerations
  - Specific Applications

Instructors:
(will be one or more of the following)
Robert F. Thomas, Jr. or Randolph B. Means
Greg Connor


	For more information or to schedule a seminar please call Thomas & Means at 704-895-5694 or e-mail us



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P.O. Box 2039
Huntersville, NC 28070
704-948-5608