Community Update from West Windsor Police
Good morning. I want to address some recent reports and clarify what has been happening in your neighborhoods.
On Thursday, we responded to a reported burglary on Hawk Drive, and again last night to a burglary on Victoria Place. In both incidents, residents reported suspicious activity and possible property crimes.
Because we had a vehicle description tied to the Victoria Place incident, officers spent the overnight hours checking nearby developments, including looking for vehicles matching that description and running license plates on cars that appeared consistent with the suspect vehicle. You may have seen officers walking around vehicles in driveways as part of that effort.
We want to reassure you that this activity was part of an active investigation to protect the community.
How you can help
Please take a moment to review your doorbell or Ring camera footage for any unfamiliar vehicles on your street or in your driveway around the times of the incidents. If you see something that you believe could help, please contact dispatch at 609-799-1222.
Safety reminders
Lock your vehicles and homes, turn on outdoor lighting, and arm burglar alarms if you have them.
Now on the legal question:
Is it lawful for officers to approach and look at vehicles parked in driveways?
Yes. In general, police may approach and walk around a vehicle that is in plain view without a warrant, including a car parked in a driveway that is open to the street. There is no reasonable expectation of privacy in a license plate or a vehicle that is visible from a public place. New Jersey courts have repeatedly held that vehicle license plates are public and that officers may observe and run plates without an unconstitutional search.
Here’s how that works in practice under New Jersey law and constitutional principles:
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License plates and plain view
License plates are publicly displayed and have no expectation of privacy. An officer observing and checking a plate is not a Fourth Amendment search when it is in plain view.
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Approaching a car on private property
A vehicle parked in a residential driveway that is visible from the street or accessible from the public way can generally be approached by officers without a warrant, simply because it is in “plain view” and there is no expectation of privacy in what is openly observable. Cases from other jurisdictions have held that an uninvited drive into a driveway for legitimate police purposes does not, in itself, make the conduct unlawful if the vehicle is in plain sight.
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Search versus observation
There is an important distinction between looking at a license plate or inspecting a vehicle and a search of the vehicle’s interior. A warrant, probable cause, or a recognized exception is typically required before police can search the inside of a vehicle. But simply walking up to and looking at a vehicle from the outside, especially when officers are conducting an active investigation, is lawful.
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Active investigation and reasonable suspicion
Officers had a specific investigative purpose tied to a reported burglary and a suspect vehicle description. That purpose gives police reasonable and articulable suspicion to investigate by checking for vehicles matching the description and plate information in the neighborhood. Running plates in this context is considered part of a lawful investigation.
So, to answer the question: Officers are allowed to walk up to and observe vehicles in private driveways that are visible from public streets and check license plates as part of a legitimate investigation. There is no law in New Jersey that forbids officers from doing that. The key privacy protections apply to searching inside a vehicle without probable cause or a warrant, not looking at plates or visual observation during an investigation.
Hope this helps. Right now, more importantly, stay off the roads and engage the teenage shovel app. I was not expecting this mess and was told by NOAA that we would be lucky if we received a dusting, if anything.
Stay safe & warm!
Chief Garofalo
