Can Police Search a Hotel without a Warrant in the state of Virginia?

Question

I work at a hotel and there is this cop that comes in and drives around. I don't want to give away my customers information.. even though he is most likely interested in the overall safety of the public, I just hate people who though around there weight without probable cause. I just would like to know if a Police Officer can search a place without a SEARCH Warrent in a place that is public access; futhermore, Is a warrent for an arrest valid for searchig a place and does he need a Search warrent other than a warrent for arrest to search the hotel I work at. Thank you.

Answer 1

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker

Yes, the officer may search the room. But, only if he saw the person on the arresting warrant entering that room, and therefore give rise to probable cause. Another way the officer may search your building is under suspicion, if people hanging around your hotel are friends of the officers suspect warrant, under the suspicious clause he may pat down and search for the public safety.

The worst senerio is you force the officer to get a search warrant, which he can in minutes, and he finds the criminal in your hotel. You as a manager or desk person of the hotel may be arrest for obstructing justice, conspiracy...etc., over five years in jail and fined.

Its best to respect the local and federal police to avoid any type of criminal prosecution, or you may spend big money hiring an attorney, just to get a lighter sentence.

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Asker's Comment:

thanks

Answer 2

Drives around?
As long as he stays in public ares like parking lots and lobbys he can wander all he wants. He cant go in patrons rooms without a warrant though.

Answer 3

Well, you can not get in trouble for not giving him any information. Police often lie to get what they want, and it's legal for them to do it. If something is in plain sight when they open a door, they can search but they cant make you open your room door with out probable cause. Probable cause is iffy as well, probable cause can't just be because you are black or you look like a drug dealer, but they can get sued for violating peoples civil rights for stuff like that.

Source(s):

Work for Police Maryland

Answer 4

I'm not a lawyer, but here is my understanding of it. A policeman is allowed to search if it is a public area. The courts have also held that the police can search the vicinity of a person being arrested, which is one reason the police try to arrest people close to where they think they might find something. I personally think that this is unconstitutional, but the Supreme Court didn't ask me my opinion. However, if he goes into a rented room without the person's permission, he is completely wrong. Unless some very specific exceptions are met, the evidence obtained in this manner will get thrown out by a competent judge. (Good luck finding one of those.) The exceptions are 'exigent circumstances' which simply means that it was an emergency, or 'inevitable discovery' which simply means that it would have been found anyway.

Answer 5

As you are just an employee of the hotel, you need to direct your questions to your supervisor as to the policies of the specific hotel you work at and find out if there are any requests to search any non-public areas (public areas are fair game) what you should do and who you should contact.