“Can I Look in Your Trunk?” What to Say.
You are pulled over. The officer hands you your ticket and then asks casually, "You don't mind if I take a quick look in your car, do you?"
The answer is NO.
You should always be polite, but you should never consent to a search. Police need "probable cause" (a good reason) to search your car without your permission. If you say "yes," you give up your rights. If they find anything—even something a friend left behind—it becomes your problem.
If you refuse and they search anyway, let them. Do not fight. Call us later. If the search was illegal, we can ask the judge to throw out any evidence they found.
