Passaic, NJ asked in Civil Rights and Criminal Law for New Jersey

Q: How long do you have to wait for while a cop is “trying to get a k9”

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T. Augustus Claus
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  • Criminal Law Lawyer
  • Las Vegas, NV

A: The amount of time a police officer can wait to call in a K-9 unit during a traffic stop can vary based on the specific circumstances and laws in your jurisdiction. Generally, officers must have a reasonable suspicion or probable cause to believe that there's illegal activity or contraband in the vehicle before calling in a K-9 unit. In some cases, courts have ruled that a short delay, such as 10 to 20 minutes, is reasonable for an officer to wait for a K-9 unit to arrive. However, if the delay becomes excessive or if there is no reasonable suspicion to support the call for a K-9, it could potentially violate a driver's Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure.

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