Policing

Can a police officer order you out of your car? Experts weigh in on Sandra Bland case

Can a police officer order you out of your car during a routine traffic stop as a Texas trooper did to Sandra Bland? And what about ordering you to put out a cigarette while you are still in your car?

Yes, an officer can order you out of your car, police experts agreed. But whether an officer can command you to extinguish a cigarette is murkier, depending on whether the cigarette is perceived as a threat. Several also said that some of the trooper’s actions were unprofessional and did not make for good policing.