In some criminal cases, officers impound a suspect’s car after they conduct a traffic stop. Is this allowed? When can an officer impound a suspect’s vehicle under the law in New York? Recent case law helps clarify the answer to this very question.
The standard under New York case law says the following:
“When the driver of a vehicle is arrested, the police may impound the car, and conduct an inventory search, where they act pursuant to reasonable police regulations relating to inventory procedures administered in good faith.”
What does this mean? In essence, the police are allowed to impound a car when the driver is arrested and when they impound it according to their office’s regulations. These regulations can vary among police departments, but the case law encourages officers to act “in good faith” when deciding whether or not to impound the vehicle.