The Pennsylvania Superior Court has decided the case of Commonwealth v. Hawkins-Davenport, holding that if the police see a gun in plain view during a traffic stop, they may temporarily seize and secure the gun during the stop. They may also ask the driver of the vehicle if they have a license to carry the gun.

The Facts of Hawkins-Davenport

Philadelphia Police Officers McCabe and Torres conducted a traffic stop of the defendant because his driver’s side brake light was not working. Officer Torres approached the passenger side of the car while his partner went to the driver’s side, and Officer Torres immediately saw a gun sitting on the passenger seat. Officer Torres reached into the car and took the gun. He then held onto it for the remainder of the stop, and he asked the defendant if the defendant had a license to carry the firearm. The defendant told him that the did not have a license, so the police arrested him. Philadelphia prosecutors charged the defendant with gun charges including carrying a firearm without a license in violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 6106 and carrying a firearm on the streets of Philadelphia in violation of 18 Pa.C.S. § 6108.

The defendant moved to suppress the firearm, arguing that the police illegally searched the car and seized the gun because they had no reason to believe that he was going to use the gun on them or that he possessed the gun illegally before they seized it. He also argued that his statement that he did not have a license to carry should be suppressed because the police seized the gun without reasonable suspicion or probable cause and questioned him without first giving him Miranda warnings. The trial court granted the motion to suppress, ruling that the traffic stop was legal but the police had no reason to seize the gun or question the defendant about it. The Commonwealth appealed.

The Superior Court Appeal

On appeal, the Commonwealth argued that Officer Torres's actions in securing the firearm were justified as a necessary precaution to ensure officer safety during the traffic stop. The prosecution contended that the trial court erred in suppressing the firearm and the defendant’s statements given the context of the situation in which the police did nothing more than secure the gun for officer safety purposes during a brief traffic stop.

The Superior Court agreed with the Commonwealth and reversed. The Court reviewed the transcripts and the body cam footage and agreed that the traffic stop was supported by reasonable suspicion. The Court also found that the officer had the right to secure the firearm that was in plain view during the traffic stop regardless of whether the gun was legally or illegally possessed. The Court noted that officers have the right to take reasonable precautions to ensure their safety during traffic stops. The Court referenced prior cases such as Commonwealth v. Ross and Pennsylvania v. Mimms, noting that securing a firearm observed in plain view is a reasonable safety measure. Further, the officers did not unlawfully extend the stop by asking just one question as to whether the defendant had a license to carry. Therefore, the trial court should not have granted the motion to suppress, and the Superior Court reversed.

In this case, the Superior Court approved of the officers’ actions because they were focused on officer safety, the gun was just out and sitting on the passenger seat, and the officers did not extend the stop by extensively questioning the defendant. They had the right to take quick action to secure the gun and ask a question about the legality of the gun. The result likely would have been different had the gun not been so obviously in plain view or had the police needed to significantly prolong the stop in order to question the defendant about firearms and firearms licenses.

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