Under New York v. Belton, after a lawful custodial arrest of the occupant of an automobile, the police may search:

Under New York v. Belton, after a lawful custodial arrest of the occupant of an automobile, the police may search:

• A. The passenger compartment of the automobile
• B. The trunk only
• C. The entire vehicle
• D. No search allowed

Answer: (A)

When a police officer lawfully arrests a person in a vehicle, the search is allowed to extend to the passenger compartment of the vehicle. This rule exists to protect officer safety and preserve evidence, since the arrestee could reach into the car during the encounter. The search can include containers within the passenger area, such as a purse or glove box. The trunk is not included under this rule, and searching the entire vehicle or the trunk would require a different basis. So the passenger compartment is the permissible area to search.

When a police officer lawfully arrests a person in a vehicle, the search is allowed to extend to the passenger compartment of the vehicle. This rule exists to protect officer safety and preserve evidence, since the arrestee could reach into the car during the encounter. The search can include containers within the passenger area, such as a purse or glove box. The trunk is not included under this rule, and searching the entire vehicle or the trunk would require a different basis. So the passenger compartment is the permissible area to search.