Oregon Supreme Court bans police officers from asking random questions during traffic stops
A trial court and the Oregon Court of Appeals had previously rejected the argument.
Both courts cited precedent that officers could go off-topic during an “unavoidable lull” in the interaction, which usually occurs while the driver was busy searching for their license and registration. The Oregon Supreme Court saw it differently. “Put simply, an ‘unavoidable lull’ does not create an opportunity for an officer to ask unrelated questions, unless the officer can justify the inquiry on other grounds,” the decision states … no longer can officers randomly segue into questions about the presence of guns or drugs.
Original Article (Oregon Public Broadcasting):
Oregon Supreme Court bans police officers from asking random questions during traffic stops
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