Opinion ID: 2273474
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Bell Factors

Text: To make the determination of reasonableness, we consider the factors recommended by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Bell v. Wolfish, using them to balance the need for the particular search versus the personal rights that the search entails. 441 U.S. 520, 559, 99 S.Ct. 1861, 60 L.Ed.2d 447 (1979). These factors include: (1) the scope of the particular intrusion; (2) the manner in which the search is conducted; (3) the justification for initiating the search; and (4) the place in which it is conducted. Id. After considering these factors and the specific circumstances surrounding this search, we conclude that the search was conducted in a reasonable manner.
The scope of the search in this case was broad. It involved the exposure of Appellee's buttocks and genital area and we agree that regardless of how professionally, and courteously conducted, it is an embarrassing and humiliating experience by definition. Hunter v. Auger, 672 F.2d 668, 674 (8th Cir.1982). Outside of a physical examination, chemical examination, or cavity search, this type of search is the most invasive performed. Thus, we find that a more intensive analysis is necessary when searches of this nature are conducted, especially when done in the field. That is not to say, however, that these searches are per se prohibitedno court in this Commonwealth has ever made such a declaration, and we decline to do so today. But we do note that officers should be cautious when performing these types of searches, outside of a sanitary and secure police station. And while this case provides facts sufficient to support the reasonableness of the search conducted, that will not always be the case. Indeed, the police risk the loss of evidence when they subject arrestees to strip searches outside of the police station, and even sometimes when the search is conducted in the station house. See Stewart, 767 F.2d at 156-57 (holding strip searches conducted in the station house without reasonable suspicion that minor offenders had possession of contraband are unreasonable and violate the Fourth Amendment). Here, as stated above, the officers faced a dangerous situation. With the knowledge that Appellee sometimes carried weapons and that an altercation was taking place, the officers proceeded through the confines of an apartment to investigate. Upon witnessing Appellee place something in his pubic area, and determining it to be contraband after performing a Terry frisk, the officer decided to visually search the external parts of Appellee's groin and buttocks. The officers did not probe into Appellee's body cavity and neither did they manipulate any part of his anatomy. The scope of this search was confined to visually inspecting what the officer immediately knew to be contraband. Thus, after fully weighing the facts surrounding this search, we conclude that its broad nature was necessary and was constitutionally in bounds.
We find that the manner of the search and the appropriateness thereof should be controlled and determined by certain factors considered in Schmerber, 384 U.S. 757, 86 S.Ct. 1826. There, the Court, after determining that probable cause supported the search, considered whether the search was reasonable and: (1) analyzed the type of search and its commonality (there, a blood test routinely used); (2) considered who performed the search (there, medical personnel); (3) weighed risk, pain and trauma to the arrestee (there, all of which were minimal); and (4) considered the skills required to conduct the search (there, medical practices controlled). Id. at 769, 86 S.Ct. 1826. We thus consider these factors in the case at bar to determine whether the manner of the search conducted on Appellee was appropriate.
We first consider two of Schmerber 's considerations in conglomerationthe type of search performed, its commonality and by whomand conclude that they support a finding that the manner of this search was appropriate. Here, trained officers conducted a search that is commonly performed on arrested individuals who officers already know hide drugs on their person. Strip searches, especially of individuals who have hidden contraband in the manner Appellee did, are necessary to preserve evidence, to prevent infiltration of contraband into detainment centers and, sometimes, for officer's safety. Thus, we find them appropriate in some cases, particularly so here because the officer became immediately aware upon the plain feel of his hand that Appellee harbored drugs in a peculiar location on his person.
We next consider the existence of risk, pain, or trauma. We first note that physical pain should not be the end of a court's inquiry, but rather mental pain should be considered as well. Here, while we find an absence of physical pain due to the search being visual in nature, we recognize that the search was probably a embarrassment to Appellee and thus consider his mental pain and its traumatic effects. We reiterate that a strip search is one of the most invasive and traumatic searches conducted. However, the fact that Appellee was turned, facing away from the open door and that no one other than the two officers were in the line of sight leads to the conclusion that the embarrassment was minimized to some degree. [9] Again, we repeat that simply because an individual chooses to hide contraband in an intimate location and does so making it immediately apparent to police, he may not then complain that the officers searched his person in an inappropriate manner absent other aggravating circumstances. Our consideration of trauma and mental pain is also affected by the fact that the officers did not come into physical contact with Appellee's genitals or buttocks. As noted by the Court of Appeals, even after seeing the drugs dangling from Appellee's genital area, the officers demonstrated restraint and common decency by removing the contraband without making physical contact with Appellee's anatomy. And while we understand that a visual examination is certainly uncomfortable, we posit that physical contact would have been even more upsetting. Thus, we find that the visual inspection, while inherently traumatic, involved minimal trauma and pain to Appellee.
Finally, we turn to the knowledge required to perform this type of search, and conclude that, unlike the medical procedure addressed in Schmerber, a visual strip search of an arrestee does not necessitate specialized training. We believe the only knowledge required to conduct a strip search is supplied by common sense and decency as demonstrated by the officers here when they performed the search within four walls and by excluding everyone but the officers involved. Here, the officers did not disrobe Appellee for public viewing and neither did they conduct the search outside in an open field. And although there is testimony that the door was partially opened, the officer testified that no one else was in the line of sight. The knowledge to do the strip search in private was exhibited by the officers in this case. Thus, we find that the officers possessed an adequate know-how to perform this type of search. After considering the factors evaluated in Schmerber, we conclude that the search was conducted in an appropriate manner.
Having found that the search was supported by probable cause, we find adequate justification for this search. It goes without saying that had the officer not been made immediately aware of the contraband by the plain feel of his hand during a Terry pat down, and continued to conduct a strip search of Appellee in the field, such conduct would shock the conscience of this Court and would not be tolerated. But we do not have that here. Here, the search was performed after the officers: recognized that Appellee might be subject to a bench warrant; witnessed him conceal something near his groin; faced a potentially dangerous, ongoing fracas; heard an individual scream It's in his crotch!; knew that he sometimes carried a weapon; and became immediately aware that Appellee was harboring drugs on his person. We find that because of the need for officer and public safety and the need to preserve evidence, there existed ample justification to conduct this search.
Finally, we turn to the last Bell factor and consider the location in which the police conducted the search. Of all the factors considered thus far, we find this factor most troubling, yet ultimately conclude that it was reasonable under the circumstances. See Polk v. Montgomery Co., 782 F.2d 1196, 1201-02 (4th Cir.1986) (whether the strip search was conducted in private is especially relevant in determining whether a strip search is reasonable under the circumstances). We recognize that strip searches are necessary for a plethora of reasons, and we understand that in order to preserve the safety of officers, of the public and of evidence, they must sometimes be employed. But we also take this opportunity, as did the United States Supreme Court, to issue a caveat: these interests hardly justify disrobing an arrestee on the street. Illinois v. Lafayette, 462 U.S. 640, 645, 103 S.Ct. 2605, 77 L.Ed.2d 65 (1983). Indeed some courts have suppressed evidence where police officers, in an attempt to recover evidence, have exposed an arrestee's most private anatomy to the public. However, most of those cases involved searches conducted outside of four walls. See Amaechi v. West, 237 F.3d 356, 361-62 (4th Cir.2001) (holding a visual strip and visual cavity search unreasonable when done beside a police car); Hill v. Bogans, 735 F.2d 391, 394 (10th Cir.1984) (finding unconstitutional routine strip searches in a public area of persons detained for minor traffic offenses); United States v. Ford, 232 F.Supp.2d 625 (E.D.Va.2002) (holding search unreasonable when conducted on the highway in broad day light). We do not have that here. Here, while it is true that Appellee was strip searched in a room with a partially opened door it is also true that no one was in the line of sight during the search and that only the officers were in the room. And while the Court of Appeals was concerned with the possibility that someone might be able to peer into the room where the search was taking place, the evidence is to the contrary. [10] We refuse to suppress evidence based upon the unsupported assertion that the search was conducted in a manner potentially exposing Appellate to prospective onlookers. Where a search is conducted unnecessarily exposing an arrestee's naked body to the public, we will suppress absent the most extraordinary and bizarre circumstancesbut conjecture without evidence will not be considered. Ultimately, because Appellee was strip searched within four walls and because he was not exposed to anyone not involved with the search, we conclude that the place in which the search was conducted was reasonable. Therefore, after considering the Bell factors, we conclude that the need for the search outweighed the privacy considerations in this case.