What is the status of individuals on the premises during a police search?

During a police search, individuals present on the premises are not automatically subject to a full search just because law enforcement is executing a warrant. The Fourth Amendment protects individuals from unreasonable searches and seizures, meaning that unless the police have probable cause to search those individuals, they cannot do so without further justification.

If a warrant is executed at a location, the police may detain individuals present for officer safety or to prevent the destruction of evidence. However, this does not grant law enforcement blanket authority to conduct searches on those individuals. To conduct a search on a person, police generally must have reasonable suspicion or probable cause that the individual is involved in criminal activity or is concealing evidence related to the investigation.

While police may have authority to control the scene, this does not translate to an automatic right to search every individual present. Moreover, the requirement to inform individuals of their rights is not strictly part of the process during a premises search, although it is crucial in the context of interrogations or custodial situations.

Therefore, individuals cannot be searched without probable cause, which distinguishes the protections afforded to them under the Fourth Amendment.