What does it mean for an officer to "confirm a warrant"?

[STLCardinals]

I have heard this before and was just wondering what takes place to confirm a warrant. Is this generally a policy for the police departments or something officers just do as an extra step? Thanks.

[mp1161]

In my neck of the woods the officer does not confirm the warrant. Dispatch does.

If you run a wanted check on a individual and that individual is wanted, then there is what is called a "potential hit". Dispatch needs to communicate with the agency that issued the warrant and confirm that warrant is not only accurate but is still active and can be served by your department in your jurisdiction. While the hit is being confirmed, the individual is detained. Takes anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes to confirm a potential hit.

[Iowa #1603]

In my neck of the woods the officer does not confirm the warrant. Dispatch does.

If you run a wanted check on a individual and that individual is wanted, then there is what is called a "potential hit". Dispatch needs to communicate with the agency that issued the warrant and confirm that warrant is not only accurate but is still active and can be served by your department in your jurisdiction. While the hit is being confirmed, the individual is detained. Takes anywhere from 2 to 10 minutes to confirm a potential hit.

Yep............same in my neck of the woods

[pujolsfan146]

When we run a name and dob, if he has a warrant we will get an alert tone. That is radio letting us know the guy or gal has a warrant. The next step is to ask radio to confirm the warrant which means they will call bookin and have them visually check to make sure the warrant is in the file. If the warrant is good we take bad guy to jail and serve the warrant.

[crass cop]

Im watching you

Yes, I am also noticing the influx of "new" members...all of a sudden
hmmmmmmmmmmm

[Smurfette_76]

The State of NC has a statewide system called NC Aware. Anyone with active warrants, orders for arrests or criminal summons are listed in this database. Officers can check from their cars, but our communications automatically checks when we give them a name/dob or driver license number. In addition, everyone is run through NCIC (the national database). If a hit comes through NCIC, the agency must do a hit confirmation with the entering agency to ensure the warrant is 1) active and 2) the entering jurisdiction intends on extraditing the defendant if the warrant is outside NC. If it's a NC warrant, the person will be arrested; if outside NC, it depends on the extradiction set by the entering agency.

[USMARINE]

If he wasn't a turd then he wouldn't have a warrant in the first place.

[retired]

Yes, I am also noticing the influx of "new" members...all of a sudden
hmmmmmmmmmmm

Is that bad?

[amw315]

I have heard this before and was just wondering what takes place to confirm a warrant. Is this generally a policy for the police departments or something officers just do as an extra step? Thanks.

what agency, specifically, are you referring to for their policy?

[STLCardinals]

what agency, specifically, are you referring to for their policy?

Just around the St. Louis area. My girlfriend's dad always has a scanner going and we were just wondering about it because we have heard it a lot lately. I figured once the dispatcher found the warrant, that was it, but I guess there may be times when the warrant is left in the system or something similar. I didn't know who the dispatcher might contact to confirm that, especially at night. I didn't think every department (especially the small ones) would have someone able to answer the phone at all hours to confirm the warrant. Does it ever happen where the dispatcher can't get a hold of someone to confirm the warrant and you let the person go, only to find out the warrant was good?

Another reason I asked, it seems the officer always asks to confirm it and I figured if it was policy, the dispatcher would automatically confirm it without the officer even needing to ask.

[Smurfette_76]

NCIC requires the warrant to be validated at any time.

[USMARINE]

You've got to ask the agency that wants him to confirm that the warrant is still good. It may not have been taken out of the system and already served.

[913]

How do you apply a stigmatism? Just asking.

[Smurfette_76]

HOld the eye open and just poke it in there.

[mp1161]

Just around the St. Louis area. My girlfriend's dad always has a scanner going and we were just wondering about it because we have heard it a lot lately. I figured once the dispatcher found the warrant, that was it, but I guess there may be times when the warrant is left in the system or something similar. I didn't know who the dispatcher might contact to confirm that, especially at night. I didn't think every department (especially the small ones) would have someone able to answer the phone at all hours to confirm the warrant. Does it ever happen where the dispatcher can't get a hold of someone to confirm the warrant and you let the person go, only to find out the warrant was good?

Another reason I asked, it seems the officer always asks to confirm it and I figured if it was policy, the dispatcher would automatically confirm it without the officer even needing to ask.

When a police officer serves a warrant, they need to complete what's called a return of service and fax it back to the originating agency. This will remove the warrant out of the system. Sometimes this isn't done so someone who is wanted, is showing that they are. Dispatch also needs to confirm because if it is an out of state warrant, the original agency needs to come and pick up the wanted person if they want him. If I work in MD, and I stop someone who is wanted in Cali by the LAPD for simple theft, LAPD is not going to want to come all the way to MD to pick him up, therefore I can't serve the warrant.