Pat-Down Search After Stop for Traffic Infractions Okay

The Third Department determined the police officer [Negron] properly asked defendant to get out of his car, and properly conducted a pat-down search, after a vehicle-stop for traffic infractions:

…[O]fficers may exercise their discretion to require occupants to exit a vehicle once a lawful traffic stop has been effected, out of a concern for safety and without particularized suspicion….  Furthermore, a pat-down search of a suspect’s outer clothing is reasonable and constitutionally permissible when  an officer observes facts and circumstances that give rise to a reasonable suspicion that a person is armed or poses a threat to his or her safety… .

Here, the entire encounter took place after dark in an area to which Negron had frequently responded to reports of gang activity, drug sales, fights and  shootings. Negron testified that he was familiar with defendant from his prior criminal activity and that defendant had been violent toward police in the past and had twice been charged with resisting arrest. After defendant exited the vehicle, Negron noticed bulges in the pockets in defendant’s “grabbable” area, which Negron defined as the hot zone that defendant’s hands could access quickly from their normal resting position. Defendant subsequently declined to answer the question as to whether he was in possession of any weapons or drugs, prompting Negron to conduct the pat frisk that ultimately revealed a concealed handgun. Thus, considering the circumstances in their totality, we find that the officer possessed a reasonable basis to perform a pat-down search of defendant for the presence of weapons… .  People v Issac, 104854, 3rd Dept, 6-6-13

SUPPRESSION