So the Las Vegas police impounded your car for one legal reason or another. Reasons may vary from something as simple as illegal parking to something severe like reckless driving. Your vehicle will be towed to the nearest impound lot and will remain there until the case is resolved.
The thing is, your vehicle doesn’t just stay put in the impound lot. As standard procedure, police officers will conduct a vehicle search in your car to see what items are left inside. This procedure is known as a car inventory search, and is conducted for every vehicle that gets impounded.
What is a Car Inventory Search?
A car inventory search is a process where law enforcers search through your car to identify all items left within it at the time of impounding. The police will thoroughly sift through your vehicle, cataloging every item they see. This will include items stored in the glove compartment, seat pockets, trunk, and any other auxiliary storage space.
Law enforcement conducts inventory searches for at least two reasons:
The police are entrusted with protecting the vehicle owner’s property while it is in their custody
The police can use the comprehensive inventory against possible claims of lost or stolen property when the owner recovers their car
The police is looking for possible hidden dangers within the vehicle, such as hidden explosives or unregistered firearms
Is Consent Needed for It?
Police officers need neither the owner’s consent nor a search warrant granted by the presiding judge to conduct an inventory search. They also do not need probable cause to search the vehicle. As an inventory search is part of standard police procedure, it does not need any prerequisite documents.
Can the Driver Do Anything About It?
As stated in the previous section, the driver does not have a say about the police conducting an inventory search. The driver can only hope that the inventory search can protect whatever items they have left behind in the car before it was impounded.
However, the driver can complain if the items cataloged somehow end up being used as evidenced against them in a related charge. The driver’s defense attorney can allege that the inventory search was conducted without following legal procedures. They can also claim that the inventory search was actually intended to search for incriminating evidence in the first place.
Car inventory searches are standard protocol for impounded vehicles, but some officials may take it a step too far without the owner’s consent. Ask your lawyer about how to protect you from the adverse effects of a car inventory search.