Opinion ID: 2549040
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: evaluation of the totality of the circumstances in this case

Text: ¶ 30 Having clarified the analysis for evaluating the reasonableness of a Terry frisk, we now turn to the court of appeals' decision. The State argues that the court of appeals did not conduct a totality-of-the-circumstances analysis but viewed the articulable facts in isolation from each other. While, in our view, the court of appeals did conduct a totality-of-the-circumstances analysis, that analysis is admittedly sparse. The court of appeals discussed at length the difference between stops where Terry frisks are essentially permitted per se and stops, such as the one in this case, that require additional articulable facts to prove reasonableness. Warren, 2001 UT App 346 at ¶ 5, 37 P.3d 270. Although the stop in this case required additional articulable facts to prove reasonableness, the court of appeals' analysis of the facts is found within a single brief footnote. Id. at ¶ 16 n. 4, 37 P.3d 270. Because this case is a difficult one, we believe it warrants more explanation than that found in the footnote. ¶ 31 The touchstone of our analysis under the Fourth Amendment is always `the reasonableness in all the circumstances of the particular governmental invasion of a citizen's personal security.' Pennsylvania v. Mimms, 434 U.S. 106, 108-09, 98 S.Ct. 330, 54 L.Ed.2d 331 (1977) (quoting Terry, 392 U.S. at 19, 88 S.Ct. 1868). Reasonableness depends on a balance between the public interest and the individual's right to personal security free from arbitrary interference by law officers. United States v. Brignoni-Ponce, 422 U.S. 873, 878, 95 S.Ct. 2574, 45 L.Ed.2d 607 (1975) (citation omitted). Courts consistently eschew bright-line rules and instead emphasiz[e] the fact-specific nature of the reasonableness inquiry. Ohio v. Robinette, 519 U.S. 33, 39, 117 S.Ct. 417, 136 L.Ed.2d 347 (1996). ¶ 32 Here, the court of appeals stated that lesser traffic offenses are not suggestive of weapons and that neither the lateness of the hour nor Warren's lie regarding his license was suggestive of weapons. There are, however, several other articulable facts on both sides of the scale that the court should have weighed in determining reasonableness. On the one hand, the reasonableness of the Terry frisk is supported by the inherent dangerousness of a traffic stop, the lateness of the hour, the deserted downtown location, the lie by Warren regarding the status of his license, the need to impound Warren's car, and Officer Swensen's suspicion that Warren was involved in drug activity or prostitution. On the other hand, a number of factors weigh against the reasonableness of the Terry frisk, including Warren's cooperative behavior, his response that he did not have any weapons on him, his willing compliance with the order to exit his vehicle, and Officer Swensen's testimony that Warren did nothing to cause Officer Swensen to be alarmed and that he had no reason to believe that Warren was armed and dangerous. ¶ 33 Clearly, this case lacks the kind of obvious articulable facts that would make the determination easier, such as a bulge in a pocket, a sudden lunge, or loud and boisterous behavior. [5] However, we conclude that the factors supporting the reasonableness of the frisk are insufficient in this case. In particular, we note that Officer Swensen's suspicions of drug activity or prostitution are better classified as hunches, rather than reasonable inferences, especially in light of the fact that he did not consider them sufficient, standing alone, to warrant investigation. Instead, he waited until Warren committed traffic violations to justify the stop. In Terry, the Court stated that credence must not be given to hunches, but to specific reasonable inferences an officer is entitled to draw from the facts in light of his or her experience. 392 U.S. at 27, 88 S.Ct. 1868. While respecting an officer's entitlement to draw upon his or her experience, the facts leading to Officer Swensen's suspicion are too attenuated to justify the inference. Similarly, Warren's cooperativeness, denial of being armed, and the absence of alarming actions further negate the reasonableness argument. In addition, Officer Swensen was present and observed all the factors, but testified repeatedly that he did not have any reason to believe that Warren was armed and dangerous. Finally, Officer Swensen's removal of Warren from the vehicle decreased the inherent dangerousness of the traffic stop. After weighing all of the articulable facts, we conclude that the officer's safety concerns in this case were not sufficient to outweigh Warren's right to personal security.