Can police officers do this?

I was in a parking lot at the 24 (24 HOUR GYM, which i have membership too...) with my friend, just talking. Now there is 2 parking lots and I was in the back one. This police officer who recently just started patrolling their for fire lane tickets, sees us and than decides to come up to my car. We were doing nothing wrong, and just got done with a workout. He says that it looked shady, and asked for our ID's and than searched both our cars with a flashlight. Than after that he went to his radio, to see if we were like criminals as if we had warrants for our arrest or were on parol. Than he called in another cop, who also than checked our car... He asked why we parked in the back, and the reason was cause at 8 the whole front parking lot was taken...and we just got out of the gym and were just gonna chat for 5 min, Than after wasting about a hour and a half of our time, the police officer comes up and asks for info on our cars and our phone, i have no idea why he has this information. Anyways than he said we should park in the front at late nights...even though we were about to go anyways. My question is can i keep getting harrased if i keep parking in the back? i really don't care what a powertrip cop says, but if it's somethign i can sue for. I mean who the hell waste 2 18 yr old kids lives, for an hour and a half when i have a class early in the morning...
Additional Details
Alright, apologies for all the spelling errors and etc. Let me correct this for you guys, and for all those who like to call me a idiot and say that I'm too stoned to tell time let me explain the situation in a little more depth. Me and my friend just finished our workout, and that was at 12, i have work and school during the day, so i have no time at all to workout during the day. The cops did held us there to 1:30, and i know this cause i was freaking outside in my sweaty gym shorts and shirt, freezing and looking at my cellphone constantly. I did not say cops CAN'T flash a light through my car, what i meant to say is that they basically just came to us and started wasting my time, asking me stupid questions. Not even giving me a reason why we are so "suspiscious" i kept telling the officer i will show him my membership, and he says he doesn't want to see it. And btw he was in his car for like an hour on the radio doing some random ****. And i wasn't comfortable at all giving my info

Magic Matt

An hour and a half? Are you kidding me, total BS, so you start with a lie (or huge exaggeration or were too stoned to tell time), then expect to be taken seriously.

Looking in your car with a flash light is NOT a search, plain view.
Two people setting in a back parking lot at night creates â€œReasonable Suspicion,â€ with that they can conduct a â€œField Interview,â€ asking what you are doing and your identification (Terry v. Ohio).

Be happy that in the US you have so many rights, in most of the rest of the world the police could have REALLY jacked you up.

Kasey C

To cover your question: can police do:

Q: ... come up to my car parked out back with no probably cause?
A: Legal, though would be nice if he explained it to you afterwards, he's not required to share his probable cause with you. A lot of robberies are done through the back entrance.

Q: ... searched our cars with flashlight?
A: Legal, as long as he did not actually enter either car. It's covered by "plain sight" rule.

Q: ... check your licenses for priors through dispatch?
A: Legal, done for almost everybody who was stopped and checked.

Q: ... ask us for info on our cars and our phone number?
A: Legal, he may need it in case he needs to contact you two again, and since he has your license, it's a good way of cross-check facts. You can refuse to answer, but it'll just take longer.

So looks like these cops are doing things by the book.

If you see them next time, perhaps you may want to show them your membership card, which would explain why you are there. Doubt he'll treat you like that next time he sees you.

---
Kasey C, PC guru since Apple II days
The secret of the universe is @*&^^^ NO CARRIER

Sorry but he didn't do anything wrong.

specs481

They CAN wave the flashlight around your car; anything found in plain sight without actually disturbing anything or entering your car is covered in plain sight. They're doing a job. Don't complain.

Everyone wants to scream "they need a warrant!!!" but they don't. If it was daylight, they would have seen everything in the car anyway. There's nothing you can report them about, and in the middle of the night, it's standard procedure for two officers to respond on things like that, especially if it was called in on complaint.

TXTITAN

I was once searched for being in a suspious neighborhood.That was their probable cause..They let me go 40 min later
1 1/2 hours,were they running warrants?
Request a copy of the tape from the patrol car,of course you probably wont get it.
Call a lawyer in your town that has had trouble with the cops,trust me he or she exsists.

Phillip B

They can't search your car. You can refuse to consent to any searches, and in that case they either have to have a warrant or probable cause. He can ask to see your ID or write down your license plate number; he can ask for your license and registration. He does not, however, have the option to search your car or hold you without declaring any charges. He either has to make an arrest or let you go; if he isn't arresting you, he has no legal grounds to keep you indefinitely.

jakflak

Being behind a business at night (I assume it was night by your description, but you didn't list a time) they had a reasonable suspicion that you were up to no good. All that happened was you were talked to.

You said they searched your car with a flashlight. What do you mean by search? Did they make you get out and look everywhere or did they just look through the windows?

j b

Yes he can You don't have a foot to stand on You could have been a person on the run from the law to be safe i would do what the police said

David B

One hour and a half? You are so full of yourself. How do you expect any of us here to believe any part of your story when you make up a line like that. Searched you car with a "flashlight"? You mean he looked into a dark car and used his light to se what anyone else could see in normal daylight? Give us the real true details and then post you question.

georgewarren93

Does not sound like he had Probable Cause, unfortunately more cops are in violation of laws than a lot of civilians, not to mention they are given way to much authority and they abuse this.
However it is possible some one reported you as acting suspicious and loitering which could give the officer Probable Cause

Rock Firestorm

I never understand these ridiculous questions. The cop did it to you. Then you come in here and ask if they can do it to you.

Um, apparently yes.

samhillesq

live and learn, I would have got bent out of shape if the police started to search my vehicle! Never consent, ever! Learn your rights and stand upon them every chance you get!

Mrs.Tomarchio--07/10/2008

some cops are complete dic*s... .and they take the law into there own hands and change it around just to for sh*ts and giggles!!!
There is no way to sue, b/c it would get thrown out, cops stick together along with judges and lawyers, you would have to have a REALLY strong case and this isn't b/c it would be an ''prove it to me'' case

Possibly as the gym if they have camera's with voice in it, and then ask for a copy... sometimes they will give it sometimes they wont...but if they do, take it and hope you didn't do anything wrong or say anything wrong, and go to a lawyer and see what he says....

rebecca R

thats not right i think u should report them to a sherriff

mbl

This is typical cop BS. Get used to it. Cops can and will do whatever they feel like doing. Probable cause to a cop basically means they feel like it.

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: