The Fourth Amendment protects “[t]he right of the people to be secure in their persons ...  against  unreasonable  searches  and  seizures.”U.S.  Const.amend.  IV.    A  traffic  stop constitutes a “seizure” under the Fourth Amendment.  Whren  v.  United  States,  517  U.S.  806, 809–10 (1996);Delaware v. Prouse, 440 U.S. 648, 653 (1979).  The reasonableness of a traffic stop  depends  on  whether  the  police  have  reasonable  suspicion  to  believe  that  a  traffic  violation has occurred.  Heien v. North Carolina, 574 U.S. 54, 60 (2014).  

A  traffic  stop  that  is  constitutionally  inbounds  at  its  inception  could  eventually  impinge on the vehicle occupant’s rights in some circumstances.  If an officer executes a traffic stop unreasonably, the stop could violate the Fourth Amendment rights of the person seized.  Illinois v. Caballes, 543 U.S. 405, 407 (2005).  “A lawful traffic stop must therefore be limited in scope and duration.”  United  States  v.  Whitley,  34  F.4th  522,  529  (6th  Cir.  2022)  (citing Rodriguez  v. United  States,  575  U.S.  348,  354  (2015)).    An  officer  needs  reasonable  suspicion  to  prolong  a traffic  stop  beyond  what  is  necessary  to  resolve  the  initial  reason  for  the  stop.   Rodriguez,  575 U.S. at 354–55.

To  continue  detaining  Taylor  after  the  time  that  was  necessary  to  complete  the  traffic citation,   Officer   Cox   needed   reasonable   suspicion   of   wrongdoing   (other   than   speeding).  Rodriguez,  575  U.S.  at  350.

According   to   the   government,   several   facts   that   Officer   Cox   learned   during   the indisputably  permissible  part  of  the  stop  gave  her  reasonable  suspicion  to  prolong  the  stop  to await the K-9 unit.  Those facts include: (1) Taylor’s travel plans; (2) Taylor’s criminal history involving  firearms  and  narcotics;  (3)  multiple  air  fresheners  on  Taylor’s  gear  shift;  and (4)Taylor’s odd movements while searching for proof of insurance. 

Under the totality of the circumstances and viewing the facts in the light most favorable to  the  government,  Officer  Cox  did  not  have  reasonable  suspicion  to  prolong  the  traffic  stop.  The  reasonable-suspicion  indicators  are  weak  and  subject  to  qualification.    In  fact,  the  district court recognized that Taylor’s travel plans, criminal history, and air fresheners may not have been enough to establish re

Anton Vialtsin, Esq.
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