Can cops target a person

[guitargirl7]

Can cops target a person based on the way they are dressed being associated with cannabis smokers? For example, rasta colors, hippie "look", or a t-shirt promoting it. Can they do a search on you just because you look suspicious? Assume there is no smell or unusual behavior. This has never happened to me, I never dress to advertise. I was just curious.

[yokinazu]

i know from experience yes they will. i been a hippie all my life, not just the hippie "look". but a honest to goodness tree huggin hippie. last time i got a hair cut was 14 years ago. if you dont count the lock of hair put in my grandmothers casket. i have been stopped walkin down the street, pulled over and generly harrassed for what seems to me no apperant reason. i have even been told by the cops that i "look suspicious". i got pulled overone time for speeding an next thing i knew a k-9 unit was there asking if they cold serch my car, they even said that if i said no they would obtain a warrent. i told them i was in no hurry so get there warrent. i was realeaed 5 min later. i do however know 3 cops that i will call freinds, the sone of one of my freinds, my father in law, and my old next door neighbor

what really sux is that you always here about racial pofiling against blacks and mexicans but you never hear bout life style profiling.

[Mississippi Steve]

Can cops target a person based on the way they are dressed being associated with cannabis smokers? For example, rasta colors, hippie "look", or a t-shirt promoting it. Can they do a search on you just because you look suspicious? Assume there is no smell or unusual behavior. This has never happened to me, I never dress to advertise. I was just curious.

Yes they can...its called "Profiling"

[Xyz505]

true but u gota look like ur cool and cop wont stop u:rastasmoke:

[thecurious1]

Can cops target a person based on the way they are dressed being associated with cannabis smokers? For example, rasta colors, hippie "look", or a t-shirt promoting it. Can they do a search on you just because you look suspicious? Assume there is no smell or unusual behavior. This has never happened to me, I never dress to advertise. I was just curious.


Technically NO, they can't search you just because of your clothing "style". The problem is ... a cop can easily lie and say that they had other reasons of suspicion. (smelled it on you).

Law enforcement officers are bound by our constitutional rights. Those rights state that no person or property can be searched without probable cause.

You can divert trouble simply by letting the enforcement officer(s) know that you fully understand your 4th and 5th amendment rights in many cases. A lot of people simply get "bullied" into incriminating themselves.