What must police officers have to conduct a strip search?

To conduct a strip search, police officers must have probable cause to believe that the individual is concealing weapons or evidence. This requirement is rooted in the Fourth Amendment's protection against unreasonable searches and seizures. Probable cause means that officers have a reasonable belief based on facts or circumstances that a search will produce evidence of a crime.

In practice, this means that officers must be able to articulate specific facts that justify their belief that a strip search is necessary. Simple hunches or unparticular concerns do not satisfy the legal standard required for such an intrusive search. Therefore, the need for probable cause is essential to uphold the constitutional right to privacy while balancing it against law enforcement's duty to maintain public safety.

The other options do not meet the legal threshold required for strip searches. Written consent may be helpful, but it is not strictly necessary if probable cause is established; a prior search warrant is typically used for different types of searches and would not usually apply to immediate scenarios requiring a strip search; and while having a witness present might be a good practice to ensure accountability, it is not a legal requirement for conducting a strip search.