Court Opinion

ID: 9528084
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-07 03:36:54.731829+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:26:28.067400
License: Public Domain

Justice VOLLACK
dissenting:
The majority concludes that the district court correctly suppressed evidence of cocaine discovered as a result of an investigatory search conducted after the defendant Leonel Alcides Gerardo Chaves (Chaves) *856was taken into protective custody by an officer of the Vail Police Department. I disagree. I conversely conclude that the search of the dollar bill — conducted pursuant to Vail Police Department policies— was not unreasonable in the present case. I respectfully dissent.
I.
In Colorado v. Bertine, 479 U.S. 367, 107 S.Ct. 738, 93 L.Ed.2d 739 (1987), the United States Supreme Court reversed a decision of this court, holding that “an inventory search may be ‘reasonable’ under the Fourth Amendment.” Id. at 371, 107 S.Ct. at 741. The United States Supreme Court found that “inventory procedures serve to protect an owner’s property while it is in the custody of the police, to insure against claims of lost, stolen, or vandalized property, and to guard the police from danger.” Id. at 372, 107 S.Ct. at 741.
The Bertine Court relied on a previous opinion in Illinois v. LaFayette, 462 U.S. 640, 103 S.Ct. 2605, 77 L.Ed.2d 65 (1983), wherein the United States Supreme Court held that
[a] range of governmental interests supports an inventory process. It is not unheard of for persons employed in police activities to steal property taken from arrested persons; similarly, arrested persons have been known to make false claims regarding what was taken from their possession at the station house. A standardized procedure for making a list or inventory as soon as reasonable after reaching the station house not only deters false claims but also inhibits theft or careless handling of articles taken from the arrested person. Arrested persons have also been known to injure themselves — or others — with belts, knives, drugs, or other items on their person while being detained. Dangerous instrumentalities — such as razor blades, bombs, or weapons — can be concealed in innocent-looking articles taken from the arrestee’s possession. The bare recital of these mundane realities justifies reasonable measures by police to limit these risks_ It is immaterial whether the police actually fear any particular ■ package or container; the need to protect against such risks arises independently of a particular officer’s subjective concerns.
Lafayette, 462 U.S. at 646, 103 S.Ct. at 2609 (emphasis added) The Bertine Court additionally relied on South Dakota v. Opperman, 428 U.S. 364, 96 S.Ct. 3092, 49 L.Ed.2d 1000 (1976), wherein the United States Supreme Court held that “[t]he practice [of inventory searches] has been viewed as essential to respond to incidents of theft or vandalism.” Id. at 369, 96 S.Ct. at 3097.
The Bertine Court premised its ruling that the inventory search of an impounded vehicle in that case did not contravene the Fourth Amendment in part on the fact that “there was no showing that the police, who were following standardized procedures, acted in bad faith or for the sole purpose of investigation.” Bertine, 479 U.S. at 372, 107 S.Ct. at 741. The Bertine Court additionally noted that, in both LaFayette and in Opperman, “the police were potentially responsible for the property taken into their custody.” Id. 479 U.S. at 373, 107 S.Ct. at 742. The Bertine Court emphasized that inventory searches, in order to be reasonable, must comport with standardized criteria. Id. at 374 n. 6, 107 S.Ct. at 742 n. 6.
II.
In the present case, Officer James How-rey testified that he was dispatched to Russell’s Restaurant “on the report of an intoxicated individual.” Officer Howrey observed Chaves stumbling and falling sideways, and noted that Chaves’ eyes were extremely bloodshot and that his breath smelled strongly of an alcoholic beverage. Officer Howrey formed the opinion that Chaves was under the influence of alcohol. Officer Howrey inquired inside of Russell’s Restaurant whether a cab had been called for Chaves, and found that, while a cab had been called, it had not yet arrived. Officer Howrey testified that
I placed [Chaves] in protective custody for a couple of reasons. Number one, he *857was definitely a danger to himself; number two, he was definitely a danger to others; and number three, most of the time [Chaves] parks his truck in the village transportation center, which is just a few hundred yards away from where he was standing. It was my grave concern that if we would have left [Chaves] alone he would have fallen down and hurt himself or he could have possibly gotten in his vehicle and tried to drive home.
Officer Howrey conducted ' a search of Chaves outside of the restaurant in order to determine whether Chaves possessed any weapons. Officer Howrey was aware that, at 6:40 p.m., the local detoxification center was not yet open; accordingly, Officer Howrey placed Chaves in handcuffs and transported him to the police department. Officer Howrey testified as follows:
My intent — what we always do is place him in the cell to sleep it off until we could find either somebody to pick him up or make the decision whether he would be transported to Avon detox or not.
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... [W]hen we got right back to the police department I took all of his belong[ing]s out of his pockets and placed them on the desk in front of him. I asked [Chaves] to s[i]t in a chair, which he did, and I began to inventory his property.
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Based upon the Vail Police Department’s policies and procedures that we’re required to conduct an inventory search of everybody being admitted into our jail.

Officer Howrey commenced an inventory search and located a brown pocket planner that resembled a checkbook, and located inside of the pocket planner a dollar bill folded up which resembled a bindle. Officer Howrey unfolded the dollar bill and observed a white substance on it which subsequently tested positive for cocaine.
Based upon the precedent set forth in the United States Supreme Court decisions, I find that the inventory search yielding evidence of . cocaine was reasonable. Officer Howrey was responsible for taking Chaves’ property into police custody. As a result of Chaves’ condition, Officer Howrey had no option other than to take Chaves to the police department since the local detoxification center was closed, and there were no other means to transport Chaves to his home. Pursuant to department policies and procedures, Officer Howrey was required to take and inventory Chaves’ property when taking him into protective custody. Additionally, the record does not reveal that Officer Howrey conducted the inventory search in bad faith. Accordingly, I would reverse the order of the district court. I respectfully dissent.-
I am authorized to say that Chief Justice ROVIRA joins in this dissent.