Opinion
POTTER, J.
This is an appeal from an order suppressing evidence pursuant to Penal Code section 1538.5. By information, defendant was charged with possession of heroin, a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11350. Defendant thereafter moved to suppress evidence found on his person at the time of arrest. The motion was heard on the basis of the evidence in the preliminary hearing transcript and was granted. The People represented that without the suppressed evidence, the prosecution of defendant could not proceed, and the case was dismissed on defendant’s motion.
Los Angeles Police Department Officer Dennis C. Zeuner (hereinafter Zeuner) testified that he was assigned as a narcotic investigator to Central Narcotics and was on duty at 6 p.m., on February 6, 1976, with his fellow officer, both in plain clothes and in an unmarked police vehicle, conducting a narcotics investigation in the neighborhood of Fifth and Crocker Streets, Los Angeles. Defendant and his companion, Masselon A. Guin (hereinafter Guin) were observed standing inside a small “Mom and Pop” market on the southwest comer of the intersection. Zeuner stopped the police vehicle in front of the market, looked inside the market, and observed defendant standing at the rear of the meat counter, approximately 50 feet away. Zeuner testified that defendant was swaying with his head hung low and his movements appeared to be very slow and very deliberate, and that Guin’s movements appeared to be the same. Zeuner testified he exited his police vehicle, entered the market, and started walking to the rear where defendant was standing. He observed defendant’s eyelids appeared to be at half-mast as were those of Guin. As Zeuner approached defendant and Guin, Guin looked in the direction of the officer and then threw some objects to the ground. These objects were retrieved and found to be three small toy balloons containing narcotics. Guin was arrested.
Zeuner then commenced interviewing defendant. He asked defendant his name and a few other questions. Zeuner testified that during the conversation defendant’s speech was “very slow, very soft, very deliber
ate. He continued to sway as he stood, his movements were veiy slow. His eyelids continued to droop, his head was hung low ... the pupil[s] of his eye[s] [were] constricted.
“At that point I formed the opinion that Mr. Rich was under the influence of an opiate. I placed him under arrest, also.”
Upon further examination, Zeuner indicated that he had not smelled any odor of alcohol on defendant’s breath. Zeuner then instructed his fellow officer to pat-down the defendant, and he heard the officer say, “What is in your front pocket?”
Zeuner then observed his fellow officer reach into defendant’s pocket and extract a small red balloon which was subsequently found to contain heroin. The balloon and its contents were identified by Zeuner and admitted into evidence at the preliminary hearing. Both defendant and Guin were transportated to Central Narcotics.
At the hearing on the motion to suppress, the defendant argued that the search of his person in the field was improper under the doctrine of
People
v.
Longwill,
14 Cal.3d 943 [123 Cal.Rptr. 297, 538 P.2d 753], The trial court agreed with defendant and granted the motion to suppress, stating as follows:
“I find as a fact that the officer observed symptoms of intoxication, smelled no alcohol on the breath of the defendant and arrested him for a violation of Section 647(0 of the Penal Code.[
]
“Considering the facts as stated the court finds as a matter of law that the search was unlawful.”
The People appeal from the order of the court suppressing the evidence and dismissing the case.
Contentions
The People contend: (1) the evidence adduced at the suppression hearing is insufficient to support the trial court’s finding of fact that defendant was arrested under Penal Code section 647, subdivision (f); (2) the search of defendant following his arrest for being under the influence of an opiate was proper in all respects; and (3) assuming arguendo defendant was arrested pursuant to section 647, subdivision (f), the in-field search of his person pursuant to such arrest was nevertheless proper. Defendant controverts all of these contentions.
The Evidence Was Insufficient to Support the Trial Court's Finding of Fact That Defendant Was Arrested Under Penal Code Section 647, Subdivision (f)
Our Supreme Court held in
People
v.
Lawler,
9 Cal.3d 156, 160 [107 Cal.Rptr. 13, 507 P.2d 621]: “ ‘ “A proceeding under section 1538.5 to suppress evidence is one in which a full hearing is held on the issues before the superior court
sitting as a finder of fact.” (People
v.
Heard
(1968) 266 Cal.App.2d 747, 749 [72 Cal.Rptr. 374].)’
(People
v.
West
(1970) 3 Cal.3d 595, 602 [91 Cal.Rptr. 385, 477 P.2d 409].) (Italics added.) In such a proceeding the power to judge the credibility of the witnesses, resolve any conflicts in the testimony, weigh the evidence and draw factual inferences, is vested in the trial court. On appeal all presumptions favor the exercise of that power, and the trial court’s findings on such matters, whether express or implied, must be upheld if they are supported by substantial evidence. The trial court also has the duty to decide whether, on the facts found, the search was unreasonable within the meaning of the Constitution. Although that issue is a question of law, the trial court’s conclusion on the point should not lightly be challenged by appeal or by petition for extraordinary writ. Of course, if such review is nevertheless sought, it becomes the ultimate responsibility of the appellate court to measure the facts, as found by the trier, against the constitutional standard of reasonableness. [Fn. omitted.]”
The record below does not indicate that the trial court at any point disbelieved Zeuner’s testimony in any respect. There appeared to be no dispute over any fact other than the authorizing Penal Code section under which Zeuner acted in arresting defendant; that is, the offense for which defendant was arrested. The briefs submitted by counsel in this
case do not vary significantly in their presentation of the facts involved. Therefore, the issue is whether there was substantial evidence to support the trial court’s determination that the defendant was arrested pursuant to Penal Code section 647, subdivision (f), despite the arresting officer’s testimony that he was arrested pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 11550
for being “under the influence of an opiate.” If there was not such substantial evidence, we must determine the propriety of the search upon defendant’s arrest for a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11550.
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Opinion
POTTER, J.
This is an appeal from an order suppressing evidence pursuant to Penal Code section 1538.5. By information, defendant was charged with possession of heroin, a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11350. Defendant thereafter moved to suppress evidence found on his person at the time of arrest. The motion was heard on the basis of the evidence in the preliminary hearing transcript and was granted. The People represented that without the suppressed evidence, the prosecution of defendant could not proceed, and the case was dismissed on defendant’s motion.
Los Angeles Police Department Officer Dennis C. Zeuner (hereinafter Zeuner) testified that he was assigned as a narcotic investigator to Central Narcotics and was on duty at 6 p.m., on February 6, 1976, with his fellow officer, both in plain clothes and in an unmarked police vehicle, conducting a narcotics investigation in the neighborhood of Fifth and Crocker Streets, Los Angeles. Defendant and his companion, Masselon A. Guin (hereinafter Guin) were observed standing inside a small “Mom and Pop” market on the southwest comer of the intersection. Zeuner stopped the police vehicle in front of the market, looked inside the market, and observed defendant standing at the rear of the meat counter, approximately 50 feet away. Zeuner testified that defendant was swaying with his head hung low and his movements appeared to be very slow and very deliberate, and that Guin’s movements appeared to be the same. Zeuner testified he exited his police vehicle, entered the market, and started walking to the rear where defendant was standing. He observed defendant’s eyelids appeared to be at half-mast as were those of Guin. As Zeuner approached defendant and Guin, Guin looked in the direction of the officer and then threw some objects to the ground. These objects were retrieved and found to be three small toy balloons containing narcotics. Guin was arrested.
Zeuner then commenced interviewing defendant. He asked defendant his name and a few other questions. Zeuner testified that during the conversation defendant’s speech was “very slow, very soft, very deliber
ate. He continued to sway as he stood, his movements were veiy slow. His eyelids continued to droop, his head was hung low ... the pupil[s] of his eye[s] [were] constricted.
“At that point I formed the opinion that Mr. Rich was under the influence of an opiate. I placed him under arrest, also.”
Upon further examination, Zeuner indicated that he had not smelled any odor of alcohol on defendant’s breath. Zeuner then instructed his fellow officer to pat-down the defendant, and he heard the officer say, “What is in your front pocket?”
Zeuner then observed his fellow officer reach into defendant’s pocket and extract a small red balloon which was subsequently found to contain heroin. The balloon and its contents were identified by Zeuner and admitted into evidence at the preliminary hearing. Both defendant and Guin were transportated to Central Narcotics.
At the hearing on the motion to suppress, the defendant argued that the search of his person in the field was improper under the doctrine of
People
v.
Longwill,
14 Cal.3d 943 [123 Cal.Rptr. 297, 538 P.2d 753], The trial court agreed with defendant and granted the motion to suppress, stating as follows:
“I find as a fact that the officer observed symptoms of intoxication, smelled no alcohol on the breath of the defendant and arrested him for a violation of Section 647(0 of the Penal Code.[
]
“Considering the facts as stated the court finds as a matter of law that the search was unlawful.”
The People appeal from the order of the court suppressing the evidence and dismissing the case.
Contentions
The People contend: (1) the evidence adduced at the suppression hearing is insufficient to support the trial court’s finding of fact that defendant was arrested under Penal Code section 647, subdivision (f); (2) the search of defendant following his arrest for being under the influence of an opiate was proper in all respects; and (3) assuming arguendo defendant was arrested pursuant to section 647, subdivision (f), the in-field search of his person pursuant to such arrest was nevertheless proper. Defendant controverts all of these contentions.
The Evidence Was Insufficient to Support the Trial Court's Finding of Fact That Defendant Was Arrested Under Penal Code Section 647, Subdivision (f)
Our Supreme Court held in
People
v.
Lawler,
9 Cal.3d 156, 160 [107 Cal.Rptr. 13, 507 P.2d 621]: “ ‘ “A proceeding under section 1538.5 to suppress evidence is one in which a full hearing is held on the issues before the superior court
sitting as a finder of fact.” (People
v.
Heard
(1968) 266 Cal.App.2d 747, 749 [72 Cal.Rptr. 374].)’
(People
v.
West
(1970) 3 Cal.3d 595, 602 [91 Cal.Rptr. 385, 477 P.2d 409].) (Italics added.) In such a proceeding the power to judge the credibility of the witnesses, resolve any conflicts in the testimony, weigh the evidence and draw factual inferences, is vested in the trial court. On appeal all presumptions favor the exercise of that power, and the trial court’s findings on such matters, whether express or implied, must be upheld if they are supported by substantial evidence. The trial court also has the duty to decide whether, on the facts found, the search was unreasonable within the meaning of the Constitution. Although that issue is a question of law, the trial court’s conclusion on the point should not lightly be challenged by appeal or by petition for extraordinary writ. Of course, if such review is nevertheless sought, it becomes the ultimate responsibility of the appellate court to measure the facts, as found by the trier, against the constitutional standard of reasonableness. [Fn. omitted.]”
The record below does not indicate that the trial court at any point disbelieved Zeuner’s testimony in any respect. There appeared to be no dispute over any fact other than the authorizing Penal Code section under which Zeuner acted in arresting defendant; that is, the offense for which defendant was arrested. The briefs submitted by counsel in this
case do not vary significantly in their presentation of the facts involved. Therefore, the issue is whether there was substantial evidence to support the trial court’s determination that the defendant was arrested pursuant to Penal Code section 647, subdivision (f), despite the arresting officer’s testimony that he was arrested pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 11550
for being “under the influence of an opiate.” If there was not such substantial evidence, we must determine the propriety of the search upon defendant’s arrest for a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11550.
We have examined the record and conclude that there is not substantial evidence to support the finding that defendant was arrested under Penal Code section 647, subdivision (f).
The evidence at the preliminaiy hearing showed that Zeuner was an expert in the field of narcotics. Zeuner testified that he had been “a police officer nine and a half years, currently assigned to narcotics as an investigator for twenty-seven months,” and said:
“I have qualified in Municipal and Superior Court in excess of 125 times as a narcotic expert in the field of being under the influence of narcotics.
“I have received training in the police academy, in-service training, state narcotic seminars, other seminars presented by the administrative narcotics division of our department.
“I have read literature and articles regarding people being under the influence of an opiate, the effects of an opiate on the system.
“I have talked with physicians, who have informed me of symptoms of people being under the influence of [an] opiate.
“I have also worked with senior officers approximately two years and in that period of time probably made close to 400 arrests for people [being] under the influence [of an opiate]. I have probably examined over two thousand people who have been under the influence of an opiate.”
Our Supreme Court has expressed the rule for the judicial determination of the existence of probable cause for an arrest or search, particularly in narcotics cases, based on the expertise of a trained and experienced police officer, as follows: “The rule requiring probable cause ‘should not be understood as placing the ordinary man of ordinary care and prudence and the officer experienced in the detection of narcotics offenders in the same class. Circumstances and conduct which would not excite the suspicion of the man on the street might be highly significant to an officer who had had extensive training and experience in the devious and cunning devices used by narcotics offenders to conceal their crimes.’
(People
v.
Superior Court
[Kiefer] (1970) 3 Cal.3d 807, 827 [91 Cal.Rptr. 729, 478 P.2d 449], quoting with approval from
People
v.
Williams
(1961) 196 Cal.App.2d 726, 728 [16 Cal.Rptr. 836].)”
(People
v.
Medina,
7 Cal.3d 30, 37 [101 Cal.Rptr. 521, 496 P.2d 433].) “ ‘[Experienced police officers naturally develop an ability to perceive the unusual and suspicious which is of enormous value in the difficult tasks of protecting the security and safety of law-abiding citizens. The benefit thereof should not be lost because the cold record before a reviewing court does not contain all the particularized perceptions which may have been so meaningful at the scene.’
(People
v.
Cowman,
223 Cal.App.2d 109, 117-118 [35 Cal.Rptr. 528].)”
(People
v.
Gale, 9
Cal.3d 788, 795-796 [108 Cal.Rptr. 852, 511 P.2d 1204].)
Zeuner testified, and the testimony was not controverted or rebutted, that he had observed Guin throwing away objects which were subsequently retrieved and found to contain heroin; that Guin was a companion of defendant; that both Guin and defendant exhibited physical symptoms indicating to a trained narcotics investigator a probability that both defendant and Guin were under the influence of an opiate. Zeuner testified that he observed defendant sway while he was standing, that he moved slowly and deliberately with his head hung low, that there was sufficient light for him to observe defendant’s eyelids were half-closed. When Zeuner interviewed defendant, he observed that his speech was slow, soft and deliberate, that defendant continued to sway while standing, and Zeuner was unable to detect any odor of alcohol on defendant’s person. Based on these symptoms, Zeuner concluded that defendant was under the influence of an opiate and placed him under arrest.
The only finding that reasonably could be made , on the basis of this testimony was a finding that defendant was arrested pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 11550. There was no evidence that defendant was guilty of disorderly conduct. Zeuner described no conduct of defendant nor gave any opinion to the effect that defendant was “in such a condition that he [was] unable to exercise care for his own safety or the safety of others” (Pen. Code, § 647, subd. (f)), or that defendant interfered with or obstructed or prevented “the free use of any street, sidewalk, or other public way”
(id.).
The described symptoms indicated only that defendant was under the influence of an opiate, and not that he was incapacitated as a result. The only crime for which defendant could be arrested, upon the basis of Zeuner’s testimony, was a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11550.
The Search of Defendant Following His Arrest Under Health and Safety Code Section 11550 Was Proper
In light of our above conclusion, we turn to the question of the propriety and reasonableness of the search of defendant following his arrest for being under the influence of an opiate and conclude that it was proper in all respects.
In
People
v.
Superior Court (Kiefer),
3 Cal.3d 807, 812-813 [91 Cal.Rptr. 729, 478 P.2d 449, 45 A.L.R.3d 559], our Supreme Court said: “It is now settled that as an incident to a lawful arrest, a warrantless search limited both as to time
(Preston
v.
United States
(1964) 376 U.S. 364, 367-368 [11 L.Ed.2d
111,
780-781, 84 S.Ct. 881]) and place
(Chimel
v.
California
(1969) 395 U.S. 752, 762-763 [23 L.Ed.2d 685, 693-694, 89 S.Ct. 2034]) may be made (1) for instrumentalities used to commit the crime, the fruits of that crime, and other evidence thereof which will aid in the apprehension or conviction of the criminal; (2) for articles the possession of which is itself unlawful, such as contraband or goods known to be stolen; and (3) for weapons which can be used to assault the arresting officer or to effect an escape...
It is obvious that violation of Health and Safety Code section 11550 is a crime in respect of which a search of the suspect might reasonably be expected to produce instrumentalities used to commit the crime (opiates or devices to inject same), that such instrumentalities would aid in the conviction of the criminal and are themselves contraband. However, since the decision in
Kiefer,
our Supreme Court has imposed limitations
upon such arrest searches the effect of which is to invalidate them in cases in which the offense is one in respect of which “there exists a significant probability that” the “arrest may never reach the point at which the individual is actually incarcerated.” This rule was originally announced in
People
v.
Longwill,
14 Cal.3d 943, 948 [123 Cal.Rptr. 297, 538 P.2d 753]. In that case, a defendant arrested for violation of Penal Code section 647, subdivision (f), upon the basis of his apparent alcoholic intoxication, was subjected to a full pretransportation search which produced contraband. Defendant’s motion to suppress was denied whereupon he pleaded guilty to possession of marijuana and of narcotics paraphernalia. On appeal, the judgment was reversed. The court pointed to statistics indicating that a high percentage of arrestees charged with violation of Penal Code section 647, subdivision (f), are merely cited and released pursuant to Penal Code section 853.6
or Penal Code section
849, subdivision (b)(2).
The
Longwill
court said in this respect (14 Cal.3d at p. 948): “The conclusion to be drawn from these data is that when the arrestees
released pursuant to section 849(b)(2) are added to those cited and released under section 853.6, there exists a significant probability that a given public intoxication arrest may never reach the point at which the individual is actually incarcerated.”
In
People
v.
Maher,
17 Cal.3d 196, 199 [130 Cal.Rptr. 508, 550 P.2d 1044], our Supreme Court explained the
Longwill
decision as follows:
“Longwill
is the most recent in a series of opinions in which we developed the criteria for determining the permissible scope of a search of an arrestee being transported by police officers.
(People
v.
Norman
(1975) 14 Cal.3d 929 [123 Cal.Rptr. 109, 538 P.2d 237];
People
v.
Brisendine
(1975) 13 Cal.3d 528 [119 Cal.Rptr. 315, 531 P.2d 1099];
People
v.
Superior Court (Simon)
(1972) 7 Cal.3d 186 [101 Cal.Rptr. 837, 496 P.2d 1205].) Beginning with
Simon,
we have classified the offense in terms of the possible disposition of the arrest, i.e., whether the arrestee is to be cited and immediately released, or taken before a magistrate or other official and given the opportunity to post bail, or booked and incarcerated.
(Brisendine,
13 Cal.3d at p. 536.) The rule to be distilled from these decisions is that a full body search incident to arrest is impermissible when the person is arrested for an offense for which he will merely be cited or released on bail.”
The standards stated in
Longwill
and
Maher
do not invalidate the full search made of defendant in this case. There is no significant probability that a person arrested for violation of Health and Safety Code section 11550 will simply be cited or released on bail without incarceration. Penal Code section 849 does not authorize release of persons arrested for being under the influence of narcotics (except where there are insufficient grounds for making a criminal complaint) unless “such person is
delivered to a facility or hospital for treatment” (§ 849, subd. (b)(3)). If the arrestee is so delivered to a facility or hospital, it is clear that a full search would be appropriate “to prevent the entry of contraband into a civil protective facility.”
(People
v.
Longwill, supra,
14 Cal.3d at p. 946, fn. 1.)
The likelihood of a release pursuant to Penal Code section 853.6 without prior incarceration is remote. A comparison of the provisions of Health and Safety Code section 11550 with the provisions of Penal Code section 853.6 raises a serious question as to whether the procedures specified in the latter can properly be applied to persons arrested for a violation of the former. If Penal Code section 853.6 is applicable to persons arrested for violation of Health and Safety Code section 11550, they may, as a result, be released subject to an obligation to appear pursuant to a “written notice to appear in court.” (§ 853.6, subd. (a).) Thereupon, a magistrate may fix the amount of bail. If the defendant posts such bail and thereafter fails to appear, “the magistrate may declare the bail forfeited, and may in his discretion order that no further proceedings shall be had in such case.” (§ 853.6, subd. (e).) Such a result would be directly contrary to the mandatory provision of Health and Safety Code section 11550 that “[i]n no event does the court have the power to absolve a person who violates this section from the obligation of spending at least 90 days in confinement in the county jail.”
Furthermore, Penal Code section 853.6, subdivision 0(6), indicates that a reason for denial of immediate release is that “[t]he prosecution of the offense or offenses for which the person was arrested . . . would be jeopardized by immediate release of the person arrested.” It is obvious that the release of a person arrested for violation of Health and Safety Code section 11550 would jeopardize the prosecution for the offense by precluding the prosecution from effectively obtaining scientific evidence of the offense by conducting urine or other appropriate tests.
No statistics have been submitted comparable to those cited in
Longwill
to show that the probable result of an arrest for violation of Health and Safety Code section 11550 will be disposition in which the arrestee is not “actually incarcerated.” In view of the serious nature of the offense, as indicated by the mandatory 90 days confinement in jail and the importance of a jail booking to insure the availability of vital evidence, it cannot be assumed that wholesale abuse of discretion on the part of law enforcement personnel has resulted in violations of Health and Safety Code section 11550 being treated as common cases of public intoxication.
The search was not conducted in an unreasonable manner in that defendant was not subjected to any shocking, abusive or unnecessarily embarrassing treatment, and defendant does not so contend. Such a body search may be conducted in the field or at the station during the booking process.
(People
v.
Ross,
67 Cal.2d 64, 70 [60 Cal.Rptr. 254, 429 P.2d 606] (revd. on other grounds
sub nom. Ross
v.
California
(1968) 391 U.S. 470 [20 L.Ed.2d 750, 88 S.Ct. 1850]);
People
v.
Gomez,
26 Cal.App.3d 928, 930 [103 Cal.Rptr. 453];
People
v.
Yniguez,
15 Cal.App.3d 669, 672-673 [93 Cal.Rptr. 444].) Thus, we conclude that defendant was properly arrested and searched, and the trial court’s order suppressing evidence found during such search incident to arrest was error.
It Is Unnecessary to Decide the Propriety of Search Upon Arrest Pursuant to Penal Code Section 647, Subdivision (f), for Drug Intoxication
It is not necessary for us to reach the question of the propriety of an in-field search of defendant’s person had defendant been arrested pursuant to Penal Code section 647, subdivision (f), because we have concluded that he was arrested for a violation of Health and Safety Code section 11550. However, in this regard, we note that the recent case of
People
v.
Knutson,
60 Cal.App.3d 856, 867 [131 Cal.Rptr. 846], sustains the validity of full searches of suspects arrested pursuant to Penal Code section 647, subdivision (f), with probable cause to believe that they are under the influence of drugs.
The order of the trial court suppressing the evidence found on defendant’s person and dismissing the case is reversed.
Cobey, Acting P. J., and Allport, J., concurred.
On August 8, 1977, the opinion was modified to read as printed above. Respondent’s petition for a hearing by the Supreme Court was denied September 28, 1977.