http://www.flexyourrights.org/traffic_stop_scenarioWhy We Do What We Do
The need for people to understand, appreciate, and assert their constitutional rights has grown more urgent as these very rights have been eroded.
Over recent decades, police agencies have adopted increasingly invasive and controversial police tactics, which turn innocent citizens into suspects. Concurrently, the Supreme Court has usually ruled in favor of expanding the scope of police power -- especially for the purpose of fighting illegal drugs.
One of the most disturbing consequences of this apparent "drug exception to the Constitution" has been the use of racial profiling to determine which drivers will be stopped for minor traffic offenses in order to be searched for contraband.
In 2001, Congress's hasty passage of the USA Patriot Act further eroded constitutional protections of the people's privacy and liberty.
Sustaining the erosion of traditional constitutional rights is a complicit citizenry, which has become dangerously permissive of everyday abuses of police power. For example, most people during the course of a traffic stop are likely to waive their rights without even knowing it.
Fortunately, these trends are neither inevitable nor irreversible.
Just as regular physical exercise strengthens muscles atrophied from underuse, innocent citizens must "flex" their constitutional rights in order to keep them strong and secure. Moreover, the simple and knowledgeable assertion of these rights is a citizen's first and best protection from the indignity and inconvenience of improper police searches and arrests.
http://www.flexyourrights.org/street_stop_scenario
Also pertinent;
http://www.flexyourrights.org/illegal_police_searches
Just for the fellow brave hearts.The exclusionary rule is a critical remedy against improper searches, and can be used as an effective protection by citizens who know their rights. The reality is that police officers on the street consider it their primary duty to identify and arrest criminals, and often consider the procedural guidelines which restrict their authority as a secondary concern or even a hindrance. In this context, it is understandable that police sometimes perform searches when they shouldn't. Here's what you should know about illegally seized evidence:
1. Consenting to a search automatically makes the evidence admissible in court. Don't consent to warrantless searches!
2. A search is legal if the officer has probable cause to believe you may be engaged in criminal activity.
3. Police officers are quick to conclude that probable cause has been established. Don't try to be clever, just keep your mouth shut.
4. If you feel that police have seized evidence from you illegally, don't discuss it with the arresting officer. Get a lawyer!
-Joe
[EDIT 1: Syntax]
[EDIT 2: Added 'Illegal Searches' link and quote]
