QUESTION
stop and identify. I was walking in my neighborhood and a police officer stopped me. He said I matched the description of a suspicious person report
Asked on Dec 29th, 2012 on Criminal Law - Texas
More details to this question:
Even though he did not know what the reported suspicious activity was, and I was not behaving suspiciously, he demanded my identification. We have a "See something, say something" program in our city. No details are required to report a suspicious person and the caller can remain anonymous. The police will always stop and identify anyone every time they are reported. This seems to be a way around TX state's racial profiling laws. Was this a reasonable and legal stop?
1 ANSWER
Assault Attorney serving Richardson, TX
2 Awards
This is not a reasonable stop. Probable cause is required to stop someone and demand identification. This does appear to be profiling if there has not been a report of a crime or suspicious activity and the person stopped is a minority or a member of a protected class. If an arrest is made, any evidence that is obtained may be subject to suppression.
Answered on Jan 02nd, 2013 at 6:42 PM