Opinion ID: 2608625
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: second search and seizure

Text: Additional items of incriminating evidence related to the robbery were observed during a second search of the car that took place while the suspects and police waited at the scene of the stop. At least one other weapon and a license plate were removed at this time. [8] In our opinion, this second search and seizure is justified as a search incident to a lawful arrest. As was made clear in Goss v. State, 390 P.2d 220 (Alaska), cert. denied, 379 U.S. 859, 85 S.Ct. 118, 13 L.Ed.2d 62 (1964), overruled on other grounds, Glasgow v. State, 469 P.2d 682 (Alaska 1970), in order for this exception to apply the police must have probable cause to make an arrest at the time the search and seizure takes place, but it is not necessary to formally place the suspect under arrest. [9] Once the police had viewed the sweatshirt, which was similar to the one worn by the robber, and had recovered the sawed-off shotgun, probable cause to make an arrest existed. [10] The remaining question is whether the area searched by the police could be considered an area within the suspects' immediate control. Chimel v. California, 395 U.S. 752, 763, 89 S.Ct. 2034, 2040, 23 L.Ed.2d 685, 694, reh. denied, 396 U.S. 869, 90 L.Ed.2d 36, 24 L.Ed.2d 124 (1969). The three suspects were standing at the rear of the vehicle with the driver's door open. [11] Their hands were free. The number of suspects and number of officers were equal. [12] The area searched was limited to an area inside the car that was potentially available to the suspects-the floor area immediately behind the driver's seat where the other weapon had been found. There was a high likelihood of finding at least one other weapon because the police knew a pistol was used in the robbery, but they had only found a shotgun. The fact that an armed robbery had just occurred might well have made the police believe that the suspects might use a weapon to harm an officer or attempt an escape. Finally, the cloth bag, which was open at least far enough at the top to allow a shotgun butt to stick out, could be searched because it was accessible and could have been opened quickly enough to remove a weapon. Admittedly, it is possible that the police could have moved the suspects farther away from the car, making a search of the car unnecessary, see 2 W. LaFave, Search and Seizure § 7.1, at 505-06 (1978), and it is possible to speculate that there was a small likelihood that one of the suspects would have been able to leap into the car to obtain a weapon. Nevertheless, the reasonableness of the scope of a search incident to arrest must be viewed from the realistic perceptions of the police officer at the time the search is made, and not by a later analysis of all the possible options that might hypothetically have been considered. Under the circumstances, we think that it was prudent to search and remove any other weapons from the Pontiac, even if at the time the search was made police had the suspects under control. Such a decision would not only protect the police, it would also prevent harm to the suspects in case of a shoot-out or attempted escape. Our conclusion that the second search was lawful is supported by our own prior decisions, [13] and decisions from other jurisdictions. [14] The judgment of the superior court denying the suppression of the evidence is Affirmed.