It can be very disarming when a police officer asks if they have your permission to enter your house or search your car. In Alabama, a police officer needs your permission, a specific warrant or exigent circumstances must be present before searching your vehicle or home. So, when they ask: should you give them your permission?
Never Consent to a Search
The easy answer here is no. If a police officer does not have a warrant, you should never give them your consent to search your property. There are several reasons why this is the case, despite what your first instinct might be, but the primary reason is that you don’t have to. Without a warrant or exigent circumstances, a police officer can’t search your car or home, so you shouldn’t give them permission to.
What if I Have Nothing to Hide?
Some people’s first instinct may be to give their permission for the search in order to look better in the eyes of the police officer or because they have “nothing to hide.” You still should refuse your consent for the search, because the simple truth is that you do not always actually know what is on your property or what the officer’s intentions are.
If you have been driving friends around or had them over to your house, they could have left something you don’t know about. This is especially true if you have teenage children. Even if you think you know everything that is in your car or your house, you probably do not. Don’t give your consent for a search.
While we don’t want to make specific accusations, it’s also possible for officers to plant evidence or escalate situations even when no evidence is present.
When Can Officers Search My Vehicle or Home Without My Consent?
There are a few circumstances where a police officer can search your vehicle or home without getting your permission, otherwise known as exigent circumstances:
If they smell something. When an officer is able to obtain evidence using their senses such as smelling marijuana, alcohol, or other illegal substances, they can search your property without your consent. Humans generally are only able to smell marijuana, but trained K9s can smell many more controlled substances.
The officer is also able to use reasonable judgment if they believe someone is in immediate danger. This is a slippery slope because officers may abuse this power, but if they believe someone has been kidnapped or is in imminent danger then this can be used for reasonable cause.
Additionally, if they believe someone is destroying evidence it’s another opportunity to enter property without permission. f the police officer believes that someone is destroying evidence in your property, they can enter it at least to pull everyone out of the property, even if they may not have permission to search yet.
Defend Your Rights Against Unlawful Searches
If a police officer asks for your permission to search your property, it is always in your best interest to say no. If the officer still proceeds to search your property, all of the evidence they find may be inadmissible in court. This is especially true if they claim to smell marijuana but find other alleged criminal activities or evidence.
Make Attorney John M. Totten your first call when you need representation after an illegal search by police in Alabama.
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