Police Use-Of-Force Doctrine
Overview of Fourth Amendment Protections
The Fourth Amendment provides, in relevant part, that “the right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, from unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated … .” The provision is most well-known for its application in the context of searches of the home or person of a criminal suspect, with a long line of Supreme Court precedents establishing that a warrant based on probable cause is required for a search to be deemed “reasonable” (and thus constitutional) unless certain exceptions apply. …
