Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) Practice Exam

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The right of an officer to search the immediate area of control after an arrest was affirmed in which case?

  1. Katz v. United States

  2. Chimel v. California

  3. Terry v. Ohio

  4. Miranda v. Arizona

The correct answer is: Chimel v. California

The affirmation of an officer's right to search the immediate area of control after an arrest stems from the ruling in Chimel v. California. In this 1969 case, the Supreme Court established the principle that officers may conduct a search of the arrestee’s person and the area within their immediate control without a warrant. This search is conducted to ensure officer safety, prevent the destruction of evidence, and gather any potential evidence related to the crime for which the individual was arrested. Chimel v. California specifically set forth the limitations of search areas, defining them as those spaces from which the person might gain possession of a weapon or evidence. This ruling was significant in clarifying the scope of searches incident to arrest, ensuring that officers have clear guidelines on how to proceed safely and legally when making an arrest. The other cases listed address different aspects of law enforcement procedures and constitutional rights, but they do not deal directly with the scope of searches stemming from an arrest in the same manner as Chimel.