Police need to secure or obtain search warrant before doing the search unless otherwise circumstances prevent the police from obtaining it and permit to carry on the search even without a warrant. “Search warrant has proven to be one of the most valuable tools in criminal investigation because it authorizes the search of homes, businesses and vehicles of suspects that typically results in the arrests, expedites investigation and subsequent case closure” (Lyman, p. 89). Basically, search warrant is very useful to police especially when they trying to enter a location, dwelling or structure and are looking for specific evidence to build or prove their case. Search warrant is also “used to recover stolen property, seize drugs or other contraband and seized any other type of property used in the commission of a crime” (Lyman p.91). While, search warrant is one of the most worthy requirement before conducting the search, not all situation requires the police to have search in order to search the premises. There are circumstances that allowed police to do warrantless search.
Under the law there are different circumstances that authorized the law enforcement officer to conduct a warrantless search. Example of circumstances are when the subject of the search voluntarily give a consent to the police officers to conduct a search even without a warrant, in a situation where there is an emergency need to search the subject without a warrant because obtaining search warrant will compromise the safety of the public, in a situation of searches incident to lawful arrest, during the stop- and- frisk searches, plain view searches, automobile searches and open-field searches (Lyman