whren et al argued april decided june plainclothes policemen patrolling high drug area unmarked vehicle observed truck driven petitioner brown waiting stop sign intersection unusually long time truck turned suddenly without signalling sped unreasonable speed officers stopped vehicle assertedly warn driver traffic violations upon approaching truck observed plastic bags crack cocaine petitioner whren hands petitioners arrested prior trial federal drug charges moved suppression evidence arguing stop justified either reasonable suspicion probable cause believe petitioners engaged illegal activity officers ground approaching truck pretextual motion suppress denied petitioners convicted appeals affirmed held temporary detention motorist upon probable cause believe violated traffic laws violate fourth amendment prohibition unreasonable seizures even reasonable officer stopped motorist absent additional law enforcement objective pp detention motorist reasonable probable cause exists believe traffic violation occurred see delaware prouse petitioners claim police may tempted use commonly occurring traffic violations means investigating violations laws fourth amendment test traffic stops whether reasonable officer stopped car purpose enforcing traffic violation issue however cases foreclose argument ulterior motives invalidate police conduct justified basis probable cause see robinson subjective intentions play role ordinary fourth amendment analysis pp although framed empirical question whether officer conduct deviated materially standard police practices petitioners proposed test plainly designed combat perceived danger pretextual stops thus inconsistent cases make clear fourth amendment concern reasonableness allows certain actions taken certain circumstances whatever subjective intent see robinson supra fourth amendment protections thought vary place place time time consequence assessing reasonableness police conduct light local law enforcement practices pp interests inherent fourth amendment inquiries support enforcement minor traffic laws plainclothes police unmarked vehicles since practice minimally advances government interest traffic safety subjecting motorists inconvenience confusion anxiety probable cause exists found necessary engage balancing cases involving searches seizures conducted manner unusually harmful individual see tennessee garner making traffic stop remotely qualify extreme practice pp affirmed scalia delivered opinion unanimous notice opinion subject formal revision publication preliminary print reports readers requested notify reporter decisions washington typographical formal errors order corrections may made preliminary print goes press end syllabus michael whren james brown petitioners petitioners charged indictment violating various federal drug laws including section pretrial suppression hearing challenged legality stop resulting seizure drugs argued stop justified probable cause believe even reasonable suspicion petitioners engaged illegal activity officer soto asserted ground approaching vehicle give driver warning concerning traffic violations pretextual district denied suppression motion concluding facts stop controverted nothing really demonstrate actions officers contrary normal traffic stop app petitioners convicted counts issue appeals affirmed convictions holding respect suppression issue regardless whether police officer subjectively believes occupants automobile may engaging illegal behavior traffic stop permissible long reasonable officer circumstances stopped car suspected traffic violation cadc granted certiorari ii petitioners accept officer soto probable cause believe various provisions district columbia traffic code violated see mun regs section operator shall give full time attention operation vehicle person shall turn vehicle without giving appropriate signal person shall drive vehicle speed greater reasonable prudent conditions argue however unique context civil traffic regulations probable cause enough since contend use automobiles heavily minutely regulated total compliance traffic safety rules nearly impossible police officer almost invariably able catch given motorist technical violation creates temptation use traffic stops means investigating law violations probable cause even articulable suspicion exists petitioners black contend police officers might decide motorists stop based decidedly impermissible factors race car occupants avoid danger say fourth amendment test traffic stops normal one applied appeals whether probable cause existed justify stop rather whether police officer acting reasonably made stop reason given petitioners also rely upon colorado bannister per curiam case like one involved traffic stop prelude sighting arrest charges wholly unrelated basis stop petitioners point statement evidence whatsoever officer presence issue traffic citation pretext confirm previous suspicion occupants car dictum demonstrates bannister found need inquire question discussion certain answer may demonstrate even less pretext meant officer really seen car speeding statement mean reason doubt probable cause traffic stop moreover anomalous say least treat statement per curiam bannister opinion indicating reversal prior law petitioners difficulty simply lack affirmative support position never held outside context inventory search administrative inspection discussed officer motive invalidates objectively justifiable behavior fourth amendment repeatedly held asserted contrary held otherwise valid warrantless boarding vessel customs officials rendered invalid customs officers accompanied louisiana state policeman following informant tip vessel ship channel thought carrying marihuana flatly dismissed idea ulterior motive might serve strip agents legal justification robinson held arrest sort rendered invalid fact mere pretext narcotics search lawful postarrest search person rendered invalid fact motivated concern justifies searches see see also gustafson florida scott rejecting contention wiretap evidence subject exclusion agents conducting tap failed make effort comply statutory requirement unauthorized acquisitions minimized said ubjective intent alone make otherwise lawful conduct illegal unconstitutional described robinson established fact officer state mind hypothecated reasons provide legal justification officer action invalidate action taken long circumstances viewed objectively justify action think cases foreclose argument constitutional reasonableness traffic stops depends actual motivations individual officers involved course agree petitioners constitution prohibits selective enforcement law based considerations race constitutional basis objecting intentionally discriminatory application laws equal protection clause fourth amendment subjective intentions play role ordinary fourth amendment analysis although framed empirical terms approach plainly indisputably driven subjective considerations whole purpose prevent police guise enforcing traffic code like different reasons petitioners proposed standard may use word pretext designed combat nothing perceived danger pretextual stop albeit indirectly run cases instead asking whether individual officer proper state mind petitioners us ask effect whether based general police practices plausible believe officer proper state mind one frame test designed combat pretext fashion take account actual admitted pretext curiosity explained fact cases foreclosed sensible option cases based upon evidentiary difficulty establishing subjective intent petitioners attempt root subjective vices objective means might make sense based upon indeed even principally upon principal basis applies equally attempts reach subjective intent ostensibly objective means simply fourth amendment concern reasonableness allows certain actions taken certain circumstances whatever subjective intent see robinson supra since fact custodial arrest gives rise authority search moment officer indicate subjective fear arrestee suspect arrestee armed gustafson supra even concern evidentiary one petitioners proposal means assuage indeed seems us somewhat easier figure intent individual officer plumb collective consciousness law enforcement order determine whether reasonable officer moved act upon traffic violation police manuals standard procedures may sometimes provide objective assistance ordinarily one reduced speculating hypothetical reaction hypothetical constable exercise might called virtual subjectivity moreover police enforcement practices even practicably assessed judge vary place place time time accept search seizure protections fourth amendment variable cf gustafson supra caceres made turn upon trivialities difficulty illustrated petitioners arguments case claim reasonable officer made stop based largely district columbia police regulations permit plainclothes officers unmarked vehicles enforce traffic laws case violation grave pose immediate threat safety others metropolitan police general order pt objectives policies apr reprinted addendum brief petitioners basis invalidation apply jurisdictions different practice applied even district columbia officer soto wearing uniform patrolling marked police cruiser petitioners argue cases support insistence upon police adherence standard practices objective means rooting pretext cite holding effect dicta two cases abel petitioner arrested immigration naturalization service ins basis administrative warrant claimed issued pretextual grounds order enable federal bureau investigation fbi search room arrest regarded allegation serious misconduct rejected abel claims ground finding bad faith open us th record light findings including finding proceedings taken ins differed respect done case individual concerning pending fbi investigation long leap proposition following regular procedures evidence lack pretext proposition failure follow regular procedures proves operational substitute pretext abel moreover involve assertion pretext invalidate search seizure probable cause even said pretext contexts plainly inconsistent views later stated robinson gustafson scott case claimed contain supportive dicta robinson approving search incident arrest driving without license noted arrest departure established police department practice followed however statement leave another day questions arise facts different ibid even dictum purports provide answer merely one leaves question open iii course true principle every fourth amendment case since turns upon reasonableness determination involves balancing relevant factors rare exceptions applicable however result balancing doubt search seizure based upon probable cause petitioners must rely upon cases like prouse provide examples actual balancing analysis police action question random traffic stop purpose checking motorist license vehicle registration practice like practices issue inventory search administrative inspection cases upon petitioners rely making pretext claim involves police intrusion without probable cause traditional justification opinion prouse expressly distinguished case stop based precisely issue probable cause believe driver violating one multitude applicable traffic equipment regulations noted approvingly foremost method enforcing traffic vehicle safety regulations acting upon observed violations afford quantum individualized suspicion necessary ensure police discretion sufficiently constrained quoting true prouse also true cases engaged detailed balancing decide constitutionality automobile stops supra upheld checkpoint stops see supra disallowed roving patrol stops see detailed balancing analysis necessary involved seizures without probable cause probable cause existed cases found necessary actually perform balancing analysis involved searches seizures conducted extraordinary manner unusually harmful individual privacy even physical interests example seizure means deadly force see tennessee garner unannounced entry home see wilson arkansas entry home without warrant see welsh wisconsin physical penetration body see winston lee making traffic stop remotely qualify extreme practice governed usual rule probable cause believe law broken outbalances private interest avoiding police contact petitioners urge extraordinary factor case multitude applicable traffic equipment regulations large difficult obey perfectly virtually everyone guilty violation permitting police single almost whomever wish stop aware principle allow us decide point code law becomes expansive commonly violated infraction longer ordinary measure lawfulness enforcement even identify exorbitant codes know standard right decide petitioners us particular provisions sufficiently important merit enforcement case surely think realistic alternative traditional rule probable cause justifies search seizure district found officers probable cause believe petitioners violated traffic code rendered stop reasonable fourth amendment evidence thereby discovered admissible upholding convictions appeals district columbia circuit correct judgment affirmed footnotes inventory search search property lawfully seized detained order ensure harmless secure valuable items might kept towed car protect false claims loss damage see south dakota opperman administrative inspection inspection business premises conducted authorities responsible enforcing pervasive regulatory scheme example unannounced inspection mine compliance health safety standards see donovan dewey