3rd Annual Academic Symposium - Andrew Darden and Samuel Knisley

The United States Constitution, particularly the Fourth Amendment, was established as a direct result of liberty violations perpetrated by agents of the English Government prior to the American Revolution. Currently, arrests, searches, and seizures governed under the Fourth Amendment are duties primarily performed by law enforcement personnel. Case study research conducted by Samuel Knisley and Andrew Darden reveal significant relationships connecting Fourth Amendment restrictions to the actions of private citizens, private security, and loss prevention personnel. The scope of this research is based largely on court rulings across the United States. Conclusions are drawn that link federal and interstate precedent to North Carolina general statutes. The research finds that the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution as well as provisions within other Amendments apply to private citizens’ actions in much the same way as law enforcement actions so long as the circumstances are such that the citizen is acting as an agent of the government.