Passenger search

[momoffive39]

What is the name of your state? Iowa

If I am a passenger in a car where there driver has been pulled over and arrested for possession of drugs and I am told to exit the automobile and I take my purse with me, do the police have the authority to search my purse without a warrant?

 

[seniorjudge]

What is the name of your state? Iowa

If I am a passenger in a car where there driver has been pulled over and arrested for possession of drugs and I am told to exit the automobile and I take my purse with me, do the police have the authority to search my purse without a warrant?

They can search it if they have a good reason for doing so. You could have a gun in there. Pat downs and searches of backpacks, purses, etc. are for the safety of the officer; these kinds of warrantless searches are often allowed.

The alternative is to let the cops have the purse and keep it till they get a search warrant.

But, you have not given us enough facts to really say one way or the other.