police, k-9’s, and the constitution: what every lawyer and judge should know

by Cletus Frami I 3 min read

Do police officers have to follow the Constitution?

The Ultimate Police K9 Case Law Guide And Legal Resource. Police drug dog or police K9 case law is fundamentally a fourth amendment search & seizure issue. Consistent with most search and seizure issues, “sniff” cases also have a complicated trajectory. drug dog resource download. I have gathered all the important criminal cases and other ...

Who wrote the Constitution and the police?

Apr 25, 2015 · In basic terms the Fourth Amendment covers two things; a search, and a seizure. The courts have generally found that the “k9 sniff” of the “free air” surrounding a vehicle during an otherwise lawful traffic stop is not considered to be a search.

What did the Supreme Court say about the police?

THE CONSTITUTION AND THE POLICE: INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT* STEPHEN J. SCHULHOFER** Our topic is the Constitution and the police. With a new Chief Justice and the prospect of major change in the personnel of the Supreme Court, police power and individual rights are sure to be reexamined. Many ob-

Can police power and individual rights be reexamined?

Oct 15, 2021 · Constitutional law for police officers are found in the following Amendments: The 4th Amendment; The 5th Amendment; The 6th Amendment. A law enforcement officer cannot utilize evidence in an individual’s criminal case if they violate one or more of these constitutional rights. A criminal defense lawyer will be able to argue that a law ...

What are the rights of the 5th amendment?

Many people know about the 5th Amendment through popular legal and police dramas. The 5th Amendment involves Miranda rights and concerns the following: 1 You have the right to remain silent 2 Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law 3 You have the right to speak to an attorney 4 If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you. 5 Do you understand these rights as they have been read to you?

Why do police officers work hard?

Police officers work hard to ensure people are following the rules, but they need to follow the rules as well . One of the main functions of a police officer is to get information and gather evidence. Police must follow the United States Constitution when performing their duties as peace officers.

What is the right to refuse a search?

Everybody has a constitutional right to be free from unlawful searches or seizures under the 4th Amendment. But, most people don’t understand how to exercise this right or that you can refuse a police officer’s request. A police officer does not have to inform you of your constitutional right to refuse a search and it is up to you to exercise your rights.

Which amendment gives you the right to a jury trial?

The 6th Amendment gives you the right to a jury trial, a speedy trial, and other court procedural rules. It also prevents police from questioning you without an attorney present once charges have been filed.

Do police have to inform you of your rights?

A police officer does not have to inform you of your constitutional right to refuse a search and it is up to you to exercise your rights. Everybody has a 4th Amendment right to be free from unlawful searches and seizures. But there are some exceptions, which include the following:

What is the responsibility of police?

It is their foremost responsibility to protect the public, an often difficult task, and that includes protecting our Constitutional and civil rights. Though they encounter challenging situations as a matter of duty, they are trained to respect and comply with ...

What rights do you have if you are arrested by police?

Constitution’s 4th, 5th, and 6th Amendments: To obtain a lawyer if arrested.

What is police harassment?

This type of conduct by police also violates a citizen’s Constitutional “due process” rights and is considered harassment. In addition to the above types of conduct, police harassment includes illegal detention; racial and ethnic profiling; making racist, sexist, and homophobic remarks; illegal surveillance and spying;

What is due process in law?

An example of a due process violation is when the police arbitrarily stop, detain, or demand information from a citizen when no crime is being committed, and with no apparent evidence that a crime may be committed.

What is racial profiling?

So, when an American citizen has been unlawfully stopped or detained by police whose salaries are paid by citizen’s tax dollars, it’s referred to as “racial profiling” and is a violation of Title VI. This type of conduct by police also violates a citizen’s Constitutional “due process” rights and is considered harassment.

What is qualified immunity?

Qualified immunity has been granted to officers who sicced a police dog on a man who had surrendered and had his hands in the air, officers who shot a 10-year-old boy in the leg while trying to hit his unthreatening dog, and officers who stole $225,000 in cash and rare coins when executing a warrant. Courts dismissed civil suits against all of ...

What is the 14th amendment?

David H. Gans: The 14th Amendment was meant to be a protection against state violence. Only once before had the Supreme Court ruled that qualified immunity could be denied in the absence of a prior court opinion on point. In that 2002 case, Hope v.

When was qualified immunity created?

When the Supreme Court first created qualified immunity, in 1967, it was described as a protection for officers acting in good faith. Today, qualified-immunity doctrine has nothing to do with whether officers acted in good faith. Instead, the keystone is whether officers violated what the Court calls “ clearly established law .”.

What are the types of police brutality?

In South Carolina and other states, it’s not uncommon to hear about police brutality or excessive force being used by law enforcement personnel. The most common types of police brutality, include, but aren’t limited to: 1 Excessive force. Police officers are authorized to use a reasonable amount of force if necessary in order to capture or restrain a suspect. However, a court may find that under the circumstances of your individual case, the force used was not reasonable. 2 Lethal Force. If a police officer unreasonably shoots and kills you or a loved one, your Fourth Amendment Rights may have been violated. 3 Racial Slurs. There isn’t any reason that a member of law enforcement should ever yell racial slurs at you. This verbal abuse could allow you or your loved one to recover damages under Section 1983

What is Section 1983?

Section 1983 made it unlawful for someone, especially law enforcement agencies to deprive you of your constitutional rights. Anyone in South Carolina, or any other state may be able to file a lawsuit against law enforcement, city and county government officials, and a city mayor. The most common claims that are filed against police officers are ...

Can police use K-9s?

Just as police departments may use force in the form of tasers and/or pepper spray, they may also use K-9’s if the use of force is considered to be reasonable under your individual circumstances. Section 1983 does offer you the possibility of bringing a case against the police officer, their bosses, and the police department in certain cases that involve excessive force.

What is excessive force?

Excessive force. Police officers are authorized to use a reasonable amount of force if necessary in order to capture or restrain a suspect. However, a court may find that under the circumstances of your individual case, the force used was not reasonable. Lethal Force.

Can police dogs be used as deadly force?

However, in South Carolina and other states, courts generally haven’t found that trained police dogs constitute deadly force, but haven’t closed the door on the fact that, in some circumstances, the use of a police dog could be considered deadly force.

What is considered a seizure under the Fourth Amendment?

If a police officer touching you physically, including bullets and tasers, this could be considered a “seizure” under the Fourth Amendment. Fifth Amendment. If a member of law enforcement refuses to read you or your loved one their Miranda rights and interrogate you, your Fifth Amendment rights may have been violated.

What is the Eighth Amendment?

The Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution prohibits cruel and unusual punishments. Prison officials in South Carolina and every other state, must provide. “adequate food, clothing, shelter, and medical care”. In addition, the prison must take any reasonable actions to guarantee a prisoner’s safety.

What is the Supreme Court ruling that states can only interface with artificial persons?

� Supreme Court of the United States 1795 "Inasmuch as every government is an artificial person, an abstraction, and a creature of the mind only, a government can interface only with other artificial persons. The imaginary, having neither actuality nor substance, is foreclosed from creating and attaining parity with the tangible. The legal manifestation of this is that no government, as well as any law, agency, aspect, court, etc. can concern itself with anything other than corporate, artificial persons and the contracts between them."

What is a probable cause?

Probable cause is where known facts and circumstances, of a reasonably trustworthy nature, are sufficient to justify a man of reasonable caution in the belief that a crime has been or is being committed. Reasonable man definition; common textbook definition; comes from this case.

What is Bennett v. Boggs?

Bennett v. Boggs, 1 Baldw 60, “Statutes that violate the plain and obvious principles of common right and common reason are null and void”. Would we not say that these judicial decisions are straight to the point --that there is no lawful method for government to put restrictions or limitations on rights belonging to the people? Other cases are even more straight forward: “The assertion of federal rights, when plainly and reasonably made, is not to be defeated under the name of practice.”

What is illegal arrest?

“An illegal arrest is an assault and battery. The person so attempted to be restrained of his liberty has the same right to use force in defending himself as he would in repelling any other assault and battery.” (State v. Robinson, 145 ME. 77, 72 ATL. 260).

Question Presented

  • Whether an investigative technique that law enforcement asserts reliably identifies the presence of contraband is sufficient to satisfy the probable cause requirement of the Fourth Amendment and th...
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Background

  • In Florida v. Harris, the Supreme Court will address the reliability of an “alert” from a trained narcotics-detection dog. Specifically, the Court will determine under what circumstances an alert is sufficient to establish probable cause for a subsequent search. The lower court ruled that the fact that a drug-detection dog has been trained and certified to detect narcotics, standing alone, …
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Epic’S Interest in Florida v. Harris

  • EPIC has argued in the past that the Fourth Amendment probable cause standard should apply in cases where the government uses “enhanced investigative techniques” in an attempt to detect contraband, see EPIC v. DHS (Suspension of the Body Scanner Program), where these techniques are imperfect, ineffective, and likely to lead to the exposure of private in formation (non-contraba…
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The Supreme Court’S Decision

  • On February 19, 2013 the Supreme Court unanimously ruled to overturn the Florida Supreme Court’s opinion in Harris. In rejecting the lower court’s conclusion that, when a dog alerts, “the fact that the dog has been trained and certified is simply not enough to establish probable cause,” and the lower court’s focus on the need for “evidence of the dog’s performance history,” the Suprem…
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Legal Documents

  • Supreme Court
    1. Opinion of the Court 2. Oral Argument Audio 3. Oral Argument Transcript 4. Brief for Petitioner State of Florida 5. Brief for Respondent Clayton Harris 6. Reply Brief for Petitioner State of Florida 7. “Friend of the Court” Briefs in Support of Petitioner Florida 7.1. Brief for National Police Canin…
  • Certiorari-Stage
    1. Petition for Certiorari 2. Brief in Opposition
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Resources

  • Supreme Court – Non-search Contraband Cases
    1. Illinois v. Caballes, 543 U.S. 405 (2005). 2. City of Indianapolis v. Edmond, 531 U.S. 32 (2000). 3. United States v. Jacobsen, 466 U.S. 109 (1984) 4. United States v. Place, 462 U.S. 696 (1983).
  • Supreme Court – Probable Cause Cases
    1. United States v. Grubbs, 547 U.S. 90 (2006). 2. Illinois v. Gates, 462 U.S. 213, 238 (1983). 3. Brinegar v. United States, 338 U.S. 160 (1949).
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