Under Arizona V. Gant, when can police search a vehicle incident to arrest?

Under Arizona v. Gant, police are permitted to search a vehicle incident to an arrest when the arrestee is within reaching distance of the vehicle's passenger compartment at the time of the search. This ruling clarified that the rationale for allowing such searches is primarily focused on officer safety and the potential for the arrestee to access any weapons or evidence that might be within reach.

The decision outlines that if the individual has already been secured and is no longer within reaching distance of the vehicle, then the justification for searching the vehicle diminishes significantly. Therefore, this rule is designed to balance the need for officer safety and the arrestee's Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures.

In regard to the other options, while they may seem plausible in other contexts, they do not align with the specific legal framework established by Arizona v. Gant. Searching a vehicle simply because it is parked does not meet the criteria set forth in the case, nor does the mere suspicion of contraband justify the search without evidence presenting a direct risk. Lastly, a traffic violation alone does not provide a blanket justification for searching the vehicle unless it coincides with concerns regarding officer safety or evidence destruction as set out by the ruling.