Police Pat-Downs and Strip Searches: What's Allowed, What's Prohibited, and What are My Rights?
The law and police procedures allow police officers, in certain situations, to conduct a pat-down on a person who has been arrested or detained, which may sometimes also result in a partial strip search or even a full strip search. Each type of search is permitted under different circumstances and for different purposes – for example, to verify that the person being detained is not carrying a weapon, or to search for evidence they have concealed on their body when there is reasonable suspicion of this. In every case, the search is meant to serve the purposes of the criminal investigation and the protection of public safety, and it must be carried out for one of the reasons established in the law and the procedures, as well as being of the minimal scope required by the circumstances. An officer may not conduct a search for purposes of punishment, degradation, humiliation, or deterrence.
In this rights guide, we will explain two types of searches that an officer may conduct on a detainee or a suspect: a partial search (or a “pat-down”), and a full strip search. The guide does not address other types of external search, which include the provision of samples, or internal searches, which refer to invasive examinations such as X-rays or gynecological examinations.
1. Partial Search (or “pat-down”)
What is a partial search?
A partial search is a search of the surface of the body, of a person’s clothing, or of their belongings, that does not amount to a full strip search. Depending on the circumstances, the search may be anything from a cursory examination of the clothing, pockets, bag, or personal belongings, up to the removal of clothing – except for undergarments.
When is it permitted to conduct a partial search?
When a person is arrested, or when a detainee is brought to the police station, an officer may conduct a pat-down and search their belongings, in order to protect the safety of detainees and officers and to ensure that the detainee does not bring dangerous or prohibited items into the station. The police procedure does not permit automatically stripping every detainee down to their undergarments; rather, it provides that the scope of the search must be determined according to its purpose and the circumstances, and that the officer must consider whether it is genuinely necessary to remove clothing or whether it is sufficient to conduct the search in a less intrusive manner, such as via a pat-down. Some of the considerations the officer must weigh up include: the gravity of the offense, its nature, and the danger it poses; the detainee’s age; whether the detainee has disabilities; the possibility that the detainee is carrying a dangerous object; prior information about the detainee; affiliation with a criminal organization; suspicious behavior; and mental state. So, for example, in the case of people arrested at a demonstration, the officer should understand that these are not people who pose a danger, that patting over the clothing is sufficient, and that there is no reason to require them to undress.
Please note: In regard to a person who has been detained but not arrested, an officer may conduct only a limited search before placing them in a police vehicle or an ambulance, in order to verify that they do not pose a danger and are not liable to flee. This search may include patting over the clothing, removal of a face or head covering, removal of shoes, and removal of a coat, but not the removal of a garment in a way that exposes body parts that were covered.
What are my rights during a partial search?
The search must be conducted, as far as is possible, in a place not visible to passers-by and in a manner that preserves the detainee’s dignity and privacy. A search that includes the removal of clothing to the point of exposing the undergarments cannot be conducted in public view, unless postponing it would create an unreasonable risk to public safety or to a person’s safety. If the search is conducted at the police station, it must take place in an enclosed space, with dignity preserved and privacy strictly maintained.
The search must be conducted by an officer of the same sex as the detainee. Only in the case of a limited search of a person who has been detained, prior to placing them in a police vehicle or an ambulance, are there exceptions to this rule: if the person consented to being searched by an officer of the other sex, after it was made clear to them that they have the right to refuse; or if no such option is available and postponing the search would create an unreasonable risk. In regard to a search of a transgender person, the police procedure requires the officer to ask the detained or arrested person whether they have a preference as to the gender of the officer who will conduct the body search. If it is not possible to grant their request, the search will be conducted in accordance with their gender identity as it appears on their identity card, and the officer must explain to the person the reason for the refusal of their request and note it in the search report.
A search on the body of a detainee must be documented in a written report. The report must include, among other things, the place, date, and time of the search; the names of the officers; the detainee’s response; whether the detainee objected; whether force was used; whether damage was caused to their person or property; the reasons for conducting the search; and the list of items seized. The report must be signed by the officer who conducted the search on the detainee. If the detainee refuses to sign, this must be noted in the report. If an item was seized or force was used, a copy of the report must be given to the detainee. A limited search of the body of a detained person who is transgender also requires documentation in a search report.
May a police officer use force in order to conduct a partial search?
In the case of a limited search prior to placing a person suspected of an offense in a police vehicle, the officer may use reasonable force if the suspect refuses the search, after having warned them of this.
What about a partial search in the case of minors?
When the detainee is a minor, the officer must exercise particular discretion and sensitivity in regard to the scope of the search, the method of the search, the location of the search, and personal privacy. A partial search of a detained minor cannot be conducted in the presence of passers-by or of other detained persons, whether minors or adults. The younger the minor, the more significant the weight that must be given to their age, and in any event no search may be conducted on the body of a minor under the age of 12, who does not bear criminal responsibility.
Strip Search
What is a full strip search?
A full strip search includes the removal of the undergarments and a visual examination of the naked body.
When is it permitted to conduct a full strip search?
A full strip search may be conducted only when the officer has reasonable grounds to suspect that there is evidence proving the commission of the offense or linking the suspect to its commission on the suspect’s body. This applies, for example, in drug offenses, when the circumstances of the case give the officer grounds to suspect that the person is concealing drugs in their undergarments.
Please note: A full strip search may also be conducted on a suspect who has not been arrested, but the officer must have an objective and well-founded suspicion that the suspect is concealing evidence of an offense on their body. In the case of demonstrators arrested on suspicion of disturbing public order and similar offenses, for example, it is hard to conceive of a scenario in which such a suspicion genuinely arises, and therefore a full strip search should, as a rule, not be relevant to such detainees.
Can a full strip search be conducted without consent?
The default is that officers must request and obtain the suspect’s consent to conduct a full strip search. If the suspect refuses the search, they must be brought before a commanding officer. The commanding officer must then give the suspect an opportunity to explain why they are refusing the search, explain to them that if they continue to refuse it will be possible to use reasonable force against them in order to conduct the search, and warn them that the refusal may have legal implications. If the suspect continues to refuse the search, the commanding officer may give written authorization to conduct the search even without their consent. If a reasonable concern arises that the search may endanger the suspect’s health, a physician’s authorization must be obtained before the search is conducted.
May a police officer use force in order to conduct a full strip search?
As stated, if a suspect who refused the search has been brought before a commanding officer and continues to refuse the search, the commanding officer may give written authorization to conduct the search without the detainee’s consent, and for reasonable force to be used for this purpose.
What are my rights during a full strip search?
The full strip search must be conducted in a manner and in a place that ensures maximum protection of the suspect’s human dignity, privacy, and health, and that prevent, as far as possible, injury, discomfort, and pain. The search must not be conducted in public view, except in order to prevent a near-certain danger to public safety, and may not be conducted in the presence of additional people whose presence is not required for the purpose of conducting the search. The search must be conducted by a person of the same sex as the suspect, subject to exceptions. The search must be documented in a report, and a copy of it must be given to the suspect.
What about full strip searches of minors and of people with disabilities?
A minor, a person with an intellectual disability, or a person who is deaf or blind must be given explanations in language and in a manner that is be comprehensible to them. Regarding minors, there are also stricter limitations in some cases of searches without consent.
A search was unlawfully conducted on me. What can I do?
File a complaint with Machash (Police Internal Affairs Bureau): In certain cases, a search that is not in accordance with the law and the procedures may constitute a criminal offense, and even sexual harassment. It is therefore possible, and advisable, to file a complaint with Machash! For information on filing a complaint with Machash, click here.
File a tort claim: You can file a tort claim through an attorney and demand that the police compensate you for the damages and the mental anguish caused to you as a result of the search.
Tell us: ACRI is collecting information and testimonies regarding partial or full strip searches conducted contrary to the law and procedures, primarily in the context of demonstrations and protests. It is important to emphasize that we cannot handle every case individually, but the details you provide will help us address the phenomenon on a general and principled level (further to the appeals we have already sent to various authorities on this matter). For the reporting form, click here.
* It is important to note that this rights guide focuses on the search powers granted to officers of the Israel Police, and does not address the widespread and grave phenomenon of improper and humiliating searches of the bodies of Palestinian residents at checkpoints and throughout the West Bank.
Links: ACRI’s appeals on this issue, 2025–2026
This post was written by Ben Lubitsh
