Can the police use thermal camera without warrant?

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No, police cannot use thermal imaging without a warrant. In the 2001 case Kyllo v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that the use of a thermal imaging device such as a thermal camera smartphone to scan a home without a warrant is a search under the Fourth Amendment. (Also, the law in the UK is not permitting either.) The Court reasoned that the use of the device “reveals details of the home that would previously have been unknowable without physical intrusion.”

Can police use thermal imaging without warrant

The Court’s decision in Kyllo was based on the principle that the Fourth Amendment protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures. The Court found that the use of thermal imaging in this case was an unreasonable search because it did not fall within any of the exceptions to the warrant requirement.

The Court’s decision in Kyllo has been criticized by some who argue that it gives too much protection to people who are suspected of criminal activity. However, the decision has also been praised by others who argue that it is an important safeguard against government intrusion into people’s privacy.

The Kyllo decision has been applied in a number of subsequent cases. In one case, the Court held that police could not use thermal imaging to detect marijuana growing operations in homes without a warrant. In another case, the Court held that police could not use thermal imaging to monitor the heat emanating from a barn without a warrant.

The Kyllo decision has had a significant impact on the use of thermal imaging by law enforcement. The decision has made it more difficult for police to use thermal imaging to gather evidence without a warrant. This has helped to protect the privacy of people who are suspected of criminal activity.