Frequently Asked Questions - private security
Be aware that private security personnel outnumber police officers in the United States by three to one. As a result, you may be more likely to be confronted by a security guard than by a police officer.
Private security personnel have a right to search you as a condition of entry into private property, for example. It is up to the individual to decide if a search is worth the price of admission. As long as you are free to walk away, the security personnel do not pose a threat to your constitutional rights.
Keep in mind that a security guard can turn illegal drugs over to a police officer. In such a case, the contraband could be legally used against you in court. And at the present time, the Fourth Amendment does not apply to searches carried out by non-governmental employees like private security guards.
Clip from the DVD, BUSTED: The Citizen's Guide to Surviving Police Encounters
