Detroit having weapons detectors on the sidewalk?

3 months ago
19

Is it legal under the 4th Amendment to put weapon detectors on a public sidewalk? The 4th Amendment protects against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Detroit has been using these detectors to find people illegally carrying weapons, while Chicago stopped everyone so they could search bags when they entered certain public beaches in 2023.

These are “smart” scanners, not metal detectors. When you walk through them, a red box will appear on a computer screen, highlighting where the system thinks a weapon is on your body.

Using technology like this when entering a private area is one thing, but we are talking about public sidewalks.

If you are legally carrying, should law enforcement be able to stop you if you walk around the detectors?

Do they violate the 4th Amendment? Since these aren't metal detectors, what if they can detect other things in the future?

Where is the line drawn?

Loading comments...