If a court user has a defibrillator device and is not hand scanned, what should an officer do to provide a security check?

• A. The opposite gender officer can pat down the court user in a private area.
• B. Decline to perform any pat-down.
• C. The same gender officer can pat down the court user in a private area.
• D. Perform a spot check without privacy.

Answer: (C)

When conducting a security check, safety and privacy must both be respected. If a court user has a defibrillator and is not performing a hand scan, the correct approach is for an officer of the same gender to perform a pat-down in a private area. This protects the individual’s dignity and comfort while still allowing a thorough search for weapons or contraband. A different-gender pat-down in private would still raise privacy concerns, declining to search leaves a security risk unaddressed, and a spot check without privacy fails to safeguard personal modesty.