Art. 165 Authority of peace officer in executing a search warrant

When police officers carry out a search warrant, they can do more than just look for the specific items listed on the warrant. They are allowed to take photos and collect fingerprints while they are searching the property.

If officers come across other items that look like evidence of a crime, they can take those too, even if those items were not named in the warrant. For example, if police have a warrant to search for stolen electronics but find illegal drugs in plain view, they can seize the drugs as well.

This rule basically gives officers the authority to do their job fully once they are legally inside a property with a valid warrant. It covers photographing the scene, collecting physical evidence like fingerprints, and grabbing any other proof of criminal activity they discover, not just the specific items the warrant mentioned.