Case Study

As we are conducting surveillance of the residence, we notice Tom Richard’s step out his front door. A car pulls into the driveway, and we see what appears to be drug/money exchanges occur. So, one of the surveillance vehicles (you and your partner) decide to follow the car, while another watches the residence.

We notice that the vehicle has a license plate that does not match the vehicle, so we pull the car over without incident. You find out the John Smith is the driver of the vehicle. You ask for consent to search, and he says no. You decide to search the vehicle anyway. Your partner pulls you aside and tells you this could be a civil rights violation. You ignore him and continue to conduct the search. You find 1 pound of marijuana stashed in the seat. You seize the drugs and take it to the evidence room for processing.

Assignment
Did you have probable cause to step the vehicle? Research specific case law to support your response.
Did you have the right to search the vehicle? Research specific case law to support your response.
Are there any possible ethical concerns that could arise from this case? Explain your answer in detail.
Assume there was an ethical issue present. The chief decides to address these ethical concerns by developing new recruitment practices, as well as additional ethics training.
What are the pros and cons of recruiting degreed officers? Where should we recruit officers?
Conduct library and Internet research that focuses on ethical training.
Develop ethical training curriculum that you feel addresses the major ethical concerns.
How can we ensure that officers will follow policy? Explain.
How will this reduce agency accountability? Explain.