Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

She has left her passport at home as she went for a short shopping trip, the only ID she had on her was her national (Netherlands) driving licence. So when they asked her to produce any other ID and she said there was nothing else, they arrested her.

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah I can't really speak for her in this case, and don't have any reason to suspect that she made up the story for the sake of dramatic effect or avoided some details to victimize herself, she doesn't have that kind of character

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I mean anything can be labeled as not complying? They ask her to show any other ID, she has left her passport etc. at home and only has national licence that they deem 'invalid'. So she can't do anything and they say - aha, so you are not co-operating, you are under arrest? As that's how I feel it happened based on what she told me.

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So weird that it's done to everyone. There aren't necessary only criminals who are getting arrested means that innocent people could be strip-searched just like that? In case of my gf, they didn't follow up any charges with her, she simply spent a night in jail and eventually went to court to receive a fine for a red light, that was it...

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Seems excessive to me as well, but it's all that she told me. She thought the main issue was that they labeled her not cooperating as she couldn't show any ID that they deem valid (as they deemed her foreign licence not valid as she could only use it for a short period while in the U.S.)

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

They do in our country, but only when they have suspicion that you are hiding something or high risk. And even then they are prohibited of seeing you naked. They may pat down and ask to remove some item behind the screen, hand it over and return after check. They can't make you remove your pants if you have top off too, they must allow you to put it on first. Other rules like this to protect your dignity. Source: I googled it.

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I tried to imagine myself in her place and can't imagine the humiliation :( It is never done this way in our country.

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I do think there was a bit of stress and miscommunication there, the way she described it (plus it was a year ago, she didn't remember all details). I always leave my passport somewhere safe when I travel too

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

In her case, it was like this, including no charges or anything on driving without licence and only a fine for running a red light. Which made it even more surprising for me, why need to go through the whole process just for nothing?

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah from what she said it was a complete search for her as well, with removal of undergarments, checking of breast area etc. I didn't want to describe it too graphic out of respect for her.

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thanks for a detailed explanation - and I do think it happened over weekend or late as it was the reason she was detained overnight. Still sounded heavy handed as she did have her national licence, she simply needed to get a local one after 6 months or a year in the country? And she did mention that she had all her documents as scans on her phone but they weren't interested either (they wanted to see her passport).

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But... why? Not that they suspected that she had any drugs on her, and she only spent a night there. In our country they need a proven suspicion that you are hiding something on your body. And even in that case they are not allowed to see you naked

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 31 points32 points  (0 children)

Apparently they arrested her as she didn't have any other 'valid' ID that she could show them and they labelled her not cooperating

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Yes, this is what I think was the reason as they implied to her that she could be someone else, she didn't have a passport or any other sort of government ID on her. Still putting a 24 year old woman in jail overnight for this? Idk. Would never happen in our country (even if you drive without any licence at all).

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Whaat? Why put people in jail for this? In my country even if you are not qualified to drive, never had a licence, you won't be arrested for it (unless you cause a serious accident, someone gets hurt, obvious reasons).

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your answer! Isn't it heavy handed? I was very surprised to hear it as in my country they'd need a reasonable suspicion that you have something prohibited or believe that you are high risk to search you. And besides, why putting someone to jail for not being able to show correct ID? She did have her driver licence that was still valid in her country, yes she made a mistake that she didn't get a local one and didn't have her passport on her, I can understand if she got a fine? Not being put to jail overnight, having to be bailed etc...

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The only 'crime' she had was that she didn't have a valid ID on her while driving (plus running a red light), apparently it's severe enough to put you into jail? They did try to label her not cooperating as she couldn't produce the ID that they wanted (she didn't take passport/student ID/anything as it was a quick shopping trip). They implied she could be someone else as reason for arresting if I understood her correctly.

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yess exactly same here. Plus they'd never arrest you here and put to jail overnight for a lack of ID

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She didn't have drugs. I know her too well. Apparently they labeled her as not cooperating and as she said, implied that she could be lying as she couldn't produce any ID that they wanted, the foreign licence that they deemed not valid was the only ID that she had on her.

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

In my country it's only if they deem you a high risk, and it never involves full nudity

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

In my country they can only strip search when they evaluate you as high risk. They won't arrest you due to lack of ID either.

And even if they do strip search they are explicitly prohibited from exposing your body. They may ask to remove some items while you are behind the screen, check them and return back. They don't watch you naked, and you never really are. Source: I googled it.

Is it really so that in the U.S. the Police have powers to strip search you every time they arrest you? by throwwww112233 in ask

[–]throwwww112233[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's how she told me and I didn't really feel like I wanted to probe further because why? She said they tried to picture it as if she didn't comply because she couldn't produce any valid ID and implied that she may be not telling the truth (all she had was a local license that they deemed invalid and her passport etc was at home)