public function searchPeople($options = NULL) {
	  // check passed data
    if(!is_null($options) && !is_string($options)) {
	    // bad data passed
		  throw new LinkedInException('LinkedIn->search(): bad data passed, $options must be of type string.');
	  }
	  
	  // construct and send the request
    $query    = self::_URL_API . '/v1/people-search' . trim($options);
		$response = $this->fetch('GET', $query);
		
		/**
	   * Check for successful request (a 200 response from LinkedIn server) 
	   * per the documentation linked in method comments above.
	   */
		return $this->checkResponse(200, $response);
	}