Hearing a loud knock on your door that’s followed by an announcement that the visitors are police officers can be a stressful situation. It’s critical for you to know your rights and exactly what’s allowable in these situations.
One of the most important things for you to remember is that your home is a place that has an expectation of privacy. That is a considerable fact in these cases because it provides you with very specific protections.
What can police officers do?
What police officers are allowed to do depends on several factors. If they have a warrant in hand, they’re allowed to come into your home to search the area specified in the warrant for the items named. If they don’t have a valid warrant, they’re limited in what they can do.
Without a warrant, police officers will need to have your permission to enter and search your home unless there are very specific circumstances present. For example, they can search your home if there’s an immediate public safety threat or if it’s incident to an arrest.
Police officers can also seize evidence if it’s in plain sight from a location they’re lawfully allowed to be. In the case of your home, this means that if they see evidence of a crime from the front door, they can lawfully seize it.
If evidence in your case was unlawfully obtained, that may become part of your defense strategy. It may be beneficial if you work with someone who’s familiar with these legal precedents and can assist you with establishing your defense in the manner you feel is in your best interests.