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I also thought of the "crooked cop planting evidence" angle, but I think that if a crooked LEO is going to plant evidence, he's going to be able to do it even if you don't consent to a vehicle search.

He could just as easily say that he is going to pat you down for his safety, palm something, and then "find" it in your pocket.

Thankfully, most of our LEOs are honest people trying to do the right thing.

my reply was off topic. deleted.

my reply was off topic. deleted.

Maybe I'm in the minority here, but I would be inclined to give consent.

Here are a couple reasons:

1. I have nothing to hide.
2. I have tremendous respect for the cops that risk their lives on the street.
3. I have a natural inclination to comply with LEO requests when they are made, unless compliance would put me in danger. (If I have a real problem with the way something was handled, it can be sorted out later with the department - not in the heat of the moment.)

I understand the idea of exercising your rights and refusing on the principle of the thing. but I also believe that just because you have the right to do something, it isn't always the right thing to do.

I would rather let him search and satisfy whatever "gut feeling" he may have had, and be done with the stop in 10 minutes and have him back out looking for bad guys, than refuse consent and keep him and other officers tied up for an hour if he presses the issue.