The California Supreme Court has ruled a person cannot be detained for trying to avoid cops and some police unions say it’s going to make it harder for police to work effectively.
The court ruled to restrict the grounds under which police can stop and hold people for questioning. It stems from the case The People vs. Marlon Flores.
The case was brought by a man from Los Angeles who was detained on suspicion of illegal activity when he crouched down behind a car as cops approached. The man was charged with a gun crime. The police officer’s union calls the ruling “out of touch.”
In a published opinion, authored by Associate Justice Carol A. Corrigan, that while this behavior can provide context, officers must be able to state a legal reason that a person is engaging in criminal activity to detain them.