Blue to Gold | University

New Jersey cops need to navigate the legal rules of traffic stops with precision—especially when a routine stop might lead to something bigger. This course breaks down the key legal standards officers must know, using real examples from New Jersey courts. It covers what officers can and can't do during a stop, how long they can hold someone, and what justifies digging deeper.

Officers will get practical guidance on identifying reasonable suspicion, recognizing when they’ve hit a legal limit, and how to avoid turning a valid stop into a suppression problem. With a focus on state-specific case law, the course makes complex legal issues easier to apply in everyday policing.

What You’ll Learn

• Tolerable Duration of a Stop
  Know how long you can hold someone without violating their rights.
  
  

• When a Stop Can Be Extended
  Review the specific reasons courts accept for prolonging a traffic stop.
  
  

• The “Rodriguez Moment”
  Understand how Rodriguez v. United States, 575 U.S. 348 (2015), limits post-stop questioning and activities.
  
  

• What Counts as the “Mission” of a Stop 
  Identify what tasks are lawfully part of every traffic stop—and what isn’t.
  
  

• Building Reasonable Suspicion
  Learn what observations and behavior can support a deeper investigation.
  
  

• Asking Unrelated Questions
  Know what’s allowed when asking about matters not related to the original stop.
  
  

• Free-Air Sniffs in New Jersey
  Clarify the rules around using K-9s during a stop under New Jersey law.

By the end, officers will have a sharper understanding of how to conduct interdiction stops that hold up in court while staying within constitutional bounds.

Certificate: 1 Hour

Credit: In-service credit available in many states