What is required for a search incident to arrest to be permissible?

A search incident to arrest is permissible when there is probable cause for a lawful arrest. This means that law enforcement officers must have reason to believe that an individual has committed a crime before they can arrest that individual and subsequently conduct a search of that person and the area within their immediate control.

This principle is grounded in the Fourth Amendment, which protects against unreasonable searches and seizures. It allows officers to search a suspect without a warrant right after an arrest to ensure officer safety and prevent the destruction of evidence. The key factor here is that probable cause has to be established for the arrest itself, making the search lawful and justifiable.

In this context, reasonable suspicion on its own is not sufficient for a search incident to arrest. Similarly, authorization from a judge or the presence of witnesses is not required for this type of search, as it is inherently justified by the arrest itself.