Constable says Probable Cause laws no longer in effect

[vette97]

A friend of mine from back home called me this morning. He talked to a Constable from Minersville this weekend who stated that officers in PA no longer need probable cause to search your vehicle. If they even think that you're doing something illegal (such as a hunch), they can search your vehicle without a warrant. He stated that this law just changed to permit this, due to increased drug trafficking. Can someone confirm?

Thanks!

[PocketProtector]

Said Constable is a fraud.

[theo]

A friend of mine from back home called me this morning. He talked to a Constable from Minersville this weekend who stated that officers in PA no longer need probable cause to search your vehicle. If they even think that you're doing something illegal (such as a hunch), they can search your vehicle without a warrant. He stated that this law just changed to permit this, due to increased drug trafficking. Can someone confirm?

Thanks!

Did he than say "APRIL FOOLS"

[whoshisface]

Who is the Constable? Name(s) please.

[autotech6506]

let them search my car in that matter. I could use a personal stimulus plan from the government

[Johannes_Paulsen]

A friend of mine from back home called me this morning. He talked to a Constable from Minersville this weekend who stated that officers in PA no longer need probable cause to search your vehicle. If they even think that you're doing something illegal (such as a hunch), they can search your vehicle without a warrant. He stated that this law just changed to permit this, due to increased drug trafficking. Can someone confirm?

Thanks!

Drinking and practicing Constitutional Law just don't mix.

[pyld]

A friend of mine from back home called me this morning. He talked to a Constable from Minersville this weekend who stated that officers in PA no longer need probable cause to search your vehicle. If they even think that you're doing something illegal (such as a hunch), they can search your vehicle without a warrant. He stated that this law just changed to permit this, due to increased drug trafficking. Can someone confirm?

Thanks!

Constable cannot pull you over nor can he search in any case, unless he's holding a warrant for your appearance (and even then, it's a long shot). Constables can only really take action on crimes committed "on view."

This guy has been hanging out with the PSP mafia-types who patrol I-81 trying to interdict drugs moving north/south--who will probably make up RAS at the drop of a hat to facilitate a search. That said, the law has not changed.

[YllwFvr]

Ah, the nearly limitless powers of the Grey Gods. Hard at work protecting you and stripping you of your rights.

[djturnz]

Yeah, it's bogus as far as I know.

I do remember seeing something about the Supreme Court making a ruling that had to do with vehicle searches, but I don't recall the specifics. Maybe he read too much into that.

You also have to figure, some Constables hang out with cops. You know how much some cops "think" they know.

The only searching of small areas I can really do is the immediate reach area of a defendant. And that pretty much applies to their home, since I can't do vehicle stops.

[vette97]

OK, my friend called Constable while I was on the other phone with him. Constable said he heard this from another officer. I'm not sure whether "Pyle" is PSP or Borough cop. He said this new law became available through a Pennsylvania Vehicle Code Statute Update on the Internet.

So, I went here http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/vehicle_code/index.shtml and couldn't find anything.

This is being passed word of mouth from an LEO. I'll post whatever I hear next. Thanks for the replies.