When should a search incident to apprehension be conducted?

• A. Before apprehension
• B. Immediately
• C. Within 24 hours
• D. After interrogation

Answer: (B)

The timing of a search incident to apprehension should be immediate—that is, conducted at the moment of arrest or right after. This immediacy is crucial because it protects officer safety and helps preserve evidence or weapons that could be moved or concealed if there’s any delay. The search is tied to the arrest and is limited to the arrestee and their immediate surroundings, so acting promptly keeps the search lawful and relevant.

Searching before the person is apprehended isn’t possible, and waiting hours or after interrogation can allow evidence to be hidden or destroyed or undermine the connection between the search and the arrest, which is why those timings aren’t appropriate.