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I was just afraid it was routine for officers to do this (as in a policy or law).
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It is commonplace for law enforcement officers to be compelled to do things that are illegal. Sometimes it is an agency policy, sometimes it is an order from a superior. Other common, but more evanescent motivation comes from peer pressure or general frustration at being unable to fight crime without conducting illegal searches and seizures.
He may or may not have been telling the truth when he said it was policy and his decision to abridge your Fourth Amendment rights could have come from any of the above factors.
Make the complaint right away. If you wait or delay it will give the impression the matter is not important to you (I'm assuming it is). According to your initial post, your Constitutional rights were abridged.