Police Officer Charged with Stealing Property Seized During Illegal Search

Although the source story provides far more interesting details, space limitations do not allow a lot of details. In any case, if you are left wondering why the search was illegal, here's why. Although the officer had probably cause for the stop, the fact that the passenger had a warrant does not allow for a warrantless search of the vehicle without consent of the driver, which obviously was not obtained. Even if the driver were the one to be arrested, the search incidental to arrest would have only allowed a search of the immediate area reachable by the driver for weapons. Under the seat, in the door compartment, etc. Therefore, the search was determined to be illgal.

The department mentioned is one that is very small, which tends to lend itself to officers of limited intellect, training and common sense. One of those, "You get what you pay for" situations.

Gotta love stories like this where the police are shown they aren't above the law themselves. Anyone know if switchblades are illegal in Missouri?

@TheReporter: I have heard that you actually need to be below a certain point on the tests in order to be accepted. Doing a Google search reinforces this (http://www.google.com/). Maybe they figure they will get bored faster if they are too smart? Or maybe learn how to abuse their position more easily?

Yeah, switchblades as well as butterfly knives are illegal in Missouri. As for the test scoring, small municipalities such as Battlefield, MO don't usually have a testing process. That would require the applicants to have teh ability to read.