Opinion ID: 558566
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: tail's end

Text: 32 The district court's finding that the state police had reasonable suspicion to stop the Toyota was not clearly erroneous. After the car had been lawfully stopped and the unavailability of any licensed driver revealed, the troopers' decision to remove the car to the state police barracks was a reasonable exercise of their community caretaking function, ergo, constitutionally defensible. The ensuing canine sniff around the vehicle's perimeter was not a search and did not implicate the fourth amendment. And upon receiving a positive indication that drugs were present, the authorities had probable cause to procure a warrant and carry out the thoroughgoing search of the automobile's interior which disclosed the cocaine cache. 5 Hence, the ultimate discovery of the contraband was lawful. 33 We need go no further. The court below erred in suppressing the evidence. 34 Reversed and remanded.