Criminal Justice

Case Study 1: The Officer and the Drug Arrest
Due Week 2 and worth 100 points

Officer Williams is an officer with the Richmond police department and has been with the department for five years. He received information that a citizen living in the local housing project was selling drugs. This information was conveyed to Officer Williams by an anonymous caller to the officer on his personal cell phone. Officer Williams immediately went to the housing project and stopped the citizen as he was leaving his apartment. Officer Williams searched the citizen and found drugs.

Note: You may create and / or make all necessary assumptions needed for the completion of this assignment.

Write a 1- to 2-page paper in which you:

• Identify the constitutional amendment that would govern Officer Williams' actions. In your own opinion, discuss if you support his actions or not. Justify your answer using the appropriate case law and Supreme Court precedents.
• Analyze the validity and constitutionality of Officer Williams' actions.
• Determine whether or not Officer Williams' actions were justified by any of the three (3) ways whereby probable cause can be established. Provide a rationale for your response.
• Use at least two quality references. Note: Wikipedia and other similar websites do not qualify as academic resources.