illinois lafayette argued april decided june respondent arrested disturbing peace taken police station without obtaining warrant process booking inventorying possessions police removed contents shoulder bag respondent carrying found amphetamine pills respondent subsequently charged violating illinois controlled substances act pretrial hearing trial ordered suppression pills illinois appellate affirmed holding shoulder bag search constitute valid search incident lawful arrest valid inventory search respondent belongings held search respondent shoulder bag valid inventory search pp consistent fourth amendment reasonable police search personal effects person lawful arrest part routine administrative procedure police station incident booking jailing suspect justification searches rest probable cause hence absence warrant immaterial reasonableness search every consideration orderly police administration protection suspect property deterrence false claims theft police security identification suspect benefiting police public points toward appropriateness examination respondent shoulder bag pp fact protection public respondent property might achieved less intrusive means render search unreasonable even less intrusive means existed unreasonable expect police officers everyday course business make fine subtle distinctions deciding containers items may searched must sealed without examination unit pp burger delivered opinion white blackmun powell rehnquist stevens joined marshall filed opinion concurring judgment brennan joined post michael ficaro assistant attorney general illinois argued cause petitioner briefs neil hartigan attorney general tyrone fahner former attorney general paul biebel first assistant attorney general steven molo assistant attorney general peter carusona argued cause respondent brief robert agostinelli frank ralph briefs amici curiae urging reversal filed solicitor general lee assistant attorney general jensen deputy solicitor general frey elliott schulder fred inbau wayne schmidt james manak howard berringer richard brzeczek david crump courtney evans daniel hales james murphy evelle younger chicago police department et al quin denvir george schraer filed brief california state public defender amicus curiae urging affirmance chief justice burger delivered opinion question presented whether time arrested person arrives police station police may without obtaining warrant search shoulder bag carried person september officer maurice mietzner kankakee city police arrived town cinema kankakee response call disturbance found respondent involved altercation theater manager arrested respondent disturbing peace handcuffed took police station respondent carried shoulder bag trip station police station respondent taken booking room officer mietzner removed handcuffs respondent ordered empty pockets place contents counter respondent took package cigarettes shoulder bag placed bag counter mietzner removed contents bag found amphetamine pills inside plastic wrap cigarette package respondent subsequently charged violating illinois controlled substances act rev ch basis controlled substances found shoulder bag pretrial suppression hearing held state argued search shoulder bag valid inventory search south dakota opperman officer mietzner testified examined bag contents standard procedure inventory everything possession arrested person app testified seeking expect find drugs weapons searched bag conceded shoulder bag small enough placed sealed bag container locker protective purposes hearing ruling state submitted brief argued first time search valid delayed search incident arrest thereafter trial ordered suppression amphetamine pills appeal illinois appellate affirmed app dist first held state waived argument search incident valid arrest failing raise argument suppression hearing however went discuss reject state argument ven assuming arguendo state waived argument stationhouse search shoulder bag constitute valid search incident lawful arrest state also held search valid inventory respondent belongings purported distinguish south dakota opperman supra basis greater privacy interest shoulder bag automobile state legitimate interests met less intrusive manner sealing shoulder bag within plastic bag box placing secured locker app illinois concluded therefore postponed warrantless search respondent shoulder bag neither incident lawful arrest valid inventory belongings thus violated fourth amendment ii question whether consistent fourth amendment reasonable police search personal effects person lawful arrest part routine administrative procedure police station house incident booking jailing suspect justification searches rest probable cause hence absence warrant immaterial reasonableness search indeed previously established inventory search constitutes exception warrant requirement see south dakota opperman supra illinois respondent rely chadwick arkansas sanders former noted probable cause search irrelevant inventory searches went state salutary functions warrant simply application context constitutional reasonableness inventory searches must determined bases order see inventory search proper perspective necessary study evolution interests along continuum arrest incarceration held immediately upon arrest officer may lawfully search person arrestee robinson may also search area within arrestee immediate control chimel california explained basis doctrine robinson supra said police officer determination search person suspect arrested necessarily quick ad hoc judgment fourth amendment require broken instance analysis step search authority search person incident lawful custodial arrest based upon need disarm discover evidence depend may later decide probability particular arrest situation weapons evidence fact found upon person suspect custodial arrest suspect based probable cause reasonable intrusion fourth amendment intrusion lawful search incident arrest requires additional justification fact lawful arrest establishes authority search hold case lawful custodial arrest full search person exception warrant requirement fourth amendment also reasonable search amendment emphasis added governmental interests underlying search arrestee person possessions may circumstances even greater supporting search immediately following arrest consequently scope search often vary made time arrest police conduct impractical unreasonable embarrassingly intrusive street readily privately performed station example interests supporting search incident arrest hardly justify disrobing arrestee street practical necessities routine jail administration may even justify taking prisoner clothes confining although step rare made clear edwards without probable cause authorities entitled station house search arrestee clothing also take keep official custody station house entirely proper police remove list inventory property found person possession arrested person jailed range governmental interests supports inventory process unheard persons employed police activities steal property taken arrested persons similarly arrested persons known make false claims regarding taken possession station house standardized procedure making list inventory soon reasonable reaching station house deters false claims also inhibits theft careless handling articles taken arrested person arrested persons also known injure others belts knives drugs items person detained dangerous instrumentalities razor blades bombs weapons concealed articles taken arrestee possession bare recital mundane realities justifies reasonable measures police limit risks either items police possession time returned arrestee upon release examining items removed arrestee person possession listing inventorying entirely reasonable administrative procedure immaterial whether police actually fear particular package container need protect risks arises independently particular officer subjective concerns see robinson supra finally inspection arrestee personal property may assist police ascertaining verifying identity see lafave search seizure pp short every consideration orderly police administration benefiting police public points toward appropriateness examination respondent shoulder bag prior incarceration prior cases amply support conclusion south dakota opperman upheld search contents glove compartment abandoned automobile lawfully impounded police held search reasonable served legitimate governmental interests outweighed individual privacy interests contents car measures protected owner property custody police protected police possible false claims theft found need consider existence less intrusive means protecting police property custody locking car impounding safe storage guard similarly standardized inventory procedures appropriate serve legitimate governmental interests stake illinois held search respondent shoulder bag unreasonable preservation defendant property protection police claims lost stolen property achieved less intrusive manner example defendant shoulder bag easily secured sealing within plastic bag box placing secured locker app citation omitted perhaps real question achieved whether fourth amendment requires steps function write manual administering routine neutral procedures station house role assure violations constitution reasonableness particular governmental activity necessarily invariably turn existence alternative less intrusive means cady dombrowski example upheld search trunk car find revolver suspected rejected contention public equally well protected posting guard automobile language equally applicable case held fact protection public might abstract accomplished less intrusive means render search unreasonable see also hardly position police departments practical administrative method best deter theft false claims employees preserve security station house evident search every item carried person lawfully taken custody police amply serve important legitimate governmental interests involved even less intrusive means existed protecting particular types property unreasonable expect police officers everyday course business make fine subtle distinctions deciding containers items may searched must sealed unit recently new york belton stated single familiar standard essential guide police officers limited time expertise reflect balance social individual interests involved specific circumstances confront quoting dunaway new york see also ross applying principles hold unreasonable police part routine procedure incident incarcerating arrested person search container article possession accordance established inventory procedures judgment illinois appellate reversed case remanded proceedings inconsistent opinion ordered footnotes addressing edwards discuss circumstances strip search arrestee may may appropriate record unclear whether respondent incarcerated booked disturbing peace appropriate inquiry remand justice marshall justice brennan joins concurring judgment agree police need warrant probable cause conduct inventory search prior incarcerating suspect therefore concur judgment practical necessities securing persons property jailhouse setting justify inventory search part standard procedure incident incarceration different case presented state relied solely fact arrest justify search respondent shoulder bag warrantless search incident arrest must justified need remove weapons prevent destruction evidence see robinson marshall dissenting chimel california rabinowitz frankfurter dissenting officer mietzner fact deem necessary search bag arrested respondent seriously doubt search lawful search time respondent arrest justified need prevent destruction evidence evidence fruits offense disturbing peace respondent suspected moreover although concern weapons might justified seizure bag concern justified step searching bag following seizure cf chadwick brennan concurring