6 minute read A Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) “Green” police officer stops a dump truck driver and hands him a ticket, New York, U.S., 26 May 2009, EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images Learn more about how the police evades the Fourth Amendment’s requirement to obtain a warrant. This statement was originally published on eff.org on 14 January 2021. Imagine this scenario: You’re driving home. Police pull you over, allegedly for a traffic violation. After you provide your license and registration, the officer catches you off guard by asking: “Since you’ve got nothing to hide, you don’t mind unlocking your phone for me, do you?” Of course, you don’t want the officer to copy or rummage through all the private information on your phone. But they’ve got a badge and a gun, and you just want to go home. If you’re like most people, you grudgingly comply.