K9 question

[laidback01]

Currently in school right now, and a question came up last night on a practice test about what is reasonable for a k9 to search a car on a routine traffic stop? (thats the abbreviated question, i dont' remember it in its entirety) Please chime in.

[Lloyd Xmas]

K9 handlers can do a "free air sniff" around the outside area of the stopped vehicle. This means they walk the dog around the car. If the dog alerts on the vehicle, this gives the officer the right to search the vehicle -in a nutshell...

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[quote=Lloyd Xmas;8972693]K9 handlers can do a "free air sniff" around the outside area of the stopped vehicle. This means they walk the dog around the car. If the dog alerts on the vehicle, this gives the officer the right to search the vehicle -in a nutshell...[/QUO

This is true but I will elaborate a little bit. A K9 Officer may do a walk around of the vehicle during his traffic stop or another officers taffic stop. The stop can not take excessively long though or be delayed after the intitial officer is finished with his business. Example, if any officer pulls you over he cannot wait 20-30 minutes on a K9 officer to arrive if he is finished conducting his business in 8-10 minutes (average traffic stop w/citation). Now if the K9 officer is just a few minutes out then the officer may delay his business until he arrives. Once the K9 arrives he may do a walk around and if the dog alerts to the presence of whatever it is trained to alert on then that is enough probable cause to search the vehicle without owner/operator consent. If there is a scenario where someone has to wait it will be up tp the court to decide if it was a reasonable or unreasonable amount of time to wait.