MONTGOMERY COUNTYCOMPUTER WARRANT INDEX

SYSTEMFC No.: 534Date: 04-27-05

If a provision of a regulation, departmental directive,rule, or procedure conflicts with a provision of thecontract, the contract prevails except where thecontract provision conflicts with State law or thePolice Collective Bargaining Law. (FOP Contract,Article 61)

Contents:

I. Montgomery County Computer Warrant IndexSystem

II. Warrant Control Section ResponsibilitiesIII. Access to Warrant InventoryIV. Service of Active WarrantsV. Entry of Updated InformationVI. Withholding Warrant EntryVII. Vehicle Information on WarrantsVIII. Proponent UnitIX. Cancellation

I. Montgomery County Computer Warrant IndexSystem

A. The Montgomery County Computer WarrantIndex System is a computer-based warrantmanagement system designed to maintain anautomated file of criminal warrants andcriminal/traffic bench warrants.

B. The system maintains active warrant files anddetailed information about wanted personssuch as date(s) of birth, descriptions, addresses,dates of warrants and service, charges, bond,and other personal information. The systemalso contains historical information onpreviously issued warrants and wantedpersons. This can provide a wealth ofinformation for investigators.

C. The system enables the department and theSheriff’s Office to share warrant and wantedpersons’ data.

II. Warrant Control Section Responsibilities

A. The Warrant Control Section (WCS), located inthe Major Crimes Division, is responsible forresearching, entering, validating, and

maintaining District Court and Juvenile Courtwarrants on a 24 hour basis. (CALEA 82.3.8.f)

B. Warrants received by the WCS will be enteredinto the Warrant Index System as soon aspractical. All warrants will be thoroughlyresearched and entered into MILES/NCIC.

C. ValidationWarrants maintained in the WCS will beperiodically validated per MILES/NCICguidelines. This process includes but is notlimited to the verification of the warrant status,researching and updating information on thedefendant, and, if appropriate, flagging thewarrant for targeting by the WarrantReduction Initiative (WRI).

D. Warrant Reduction InitiativeThe WCS coordinates the WRI with other unitsthroughout the department in a combined effortto reduce the number of warrants housed in theWCS. The WRI is the process wherebymembers of the WCS target warrants that arethen researched in hopes of locating,contacting, and apprehending suspects namedin the court documents.

E. MVA Outstanding Arrest Warrant ProgramThe WCS sends information on defendantswith outstanding warrants to MVA for thesuspension of licenses. This program does notallow defendants to renew drivers’ licenses andregistrations until the warrant(s) has beensatisfied.

III. Access to Warrant Inventory

A. Queries of warrant status can be accomplishedthrough an on-line inquiry or by contacting theWCS. Officers will not use “hits” obtainedthrough the Warrant Index System as probablecause for arrest, but will first confirm theexistence of a warrant through the WCS.

B. On-line InquiryAn on-line inquiry can be accomplished bysimply accessing the county CJIS System,

FC No.: 534Date: 04-27-05

2

clearing the screen, typing in “WARR” andhitting the “Enter” key.

C. Warrant ListsA printout of outstanding warrants by beat,PRA, or time frame may be obtained bycontacting the WCS. These searches are mostsuccessful when the information is requestedusing the PRA.

IV. Service of Active Warrants

Officers will adhere to the following proceduresonce it has been determined, through either anon-line inquiry or by the computer printout listthat an active warrant is on file for a person.

A. Confirm Status of WarrantBefore attempting service of a warrant listed onthe computer printout, officers must confirmthe status of that warrant by contacting theWCS, directly. Officers will not confirm thestatus of a warrant via ECC (refer to FC 252,“Radio Communications”). Once a warrant hasbeen confirmed as being active, the officer mayattempt service of it.

B. Arrest of Wanted PersonThe discovery of the existence of a warrantthrough the Warrant Index System should beviewed as if it were an NCIC “hit,” and thedepartment will follow NCIC procedures: “AnNCIC hit alone is not probable cause to arrest.An NCIC hit furnishes the inquirer the factthat a warrant has been filed and also providesthe date of the warrant which are matters to beconsidered by the receiving officer in arriving atan arrest decision. A hit is one fact which mustbe added to other facts by the officer in arrivingat sufficient legal grounds for probable cause toarrest.” Therefore, the officer must confirm theexistence of a warrant(s) before effecting anarrest. This confirmation is to be completed bycontacting ECC personnel who will confirm thestatus of the warrant through the WCS.

C. Warrant Service1. Officers will transport all adult suspects,

and juvenile suspects charged as adults,with outstanding warrants (criminal ortraffic) to the Central Processing Unit(CPU). CPU staff will obtain the warrantsfrom the WCS and be responsible for theservice and cepi of the warrants.

2. Juvenile suspects with outstandingwarrants will be processed and served with

any outstanding warrants at theappropriate district stations by thearresting officer. Officers will cepi thewarrants and immediately fax them back tothe WCS.

3. Under no circumstances will a defendant beserved on an original warrant or a courtjacket copy without first notifying the WCS.

V. Entry of Updated Information

A. Officers are responsible for notifying the WCSof any updated information obtained on anyoutstanding warrant.

B. Officers can write any updated informationdirectly on a photocopy of the computer screenprintout, adding their name, ID#, and date.Then forward the copy to the WCU via fax,(240) 773-5325, after making contact with theWCU or via inter-office mail.

C. The WCS is responsible for entering theupdated information into the Warrant IndexSystem as soon as practical after receiving it.

VI. Withholding Warrant Entry

Officers who obtain a warrant and intend toeffect service themselves may retain control ofthe original warrant but within the followingguidelines:1. According to MILES/NCIC guidelines, the

WCS cannot make an entry into theWarrant Index System nor MILES/NCICunless the original copy of the warrant is intheir possession.

2. If an officer chooses to retain possession ofthe warrant, the original document must beaccessible 24 hours a day.

3. The State Warrant System now makes itpossible for agencies to query District Courtwarrants on the day of issuance. For thisreason, when service is not effected withinseven days of warrant issuance, the originalwarrant will be forwarded to the WCSwithout exception.

VII. Vehicle Information on Warrants

A. Officers requiring vehicle information to beentered into the Warrant Index System and/orMiles in relation to a wanted subject mustinclude this information on the MCP 72,“Warrant/DCS Transmittal Form,” or notify theWCS in writing.

FC No.: 534Date: 04-27-05

3

B. NCIC policy states that in order for a vehicle ortag to be attached to a warrant, the followingcriteria must be met:1. The whereabouts of the vehicle must be

unknown, and2. The officer must have reasonable grounds

to believe that the suspect may beoperating the vehicle or a vehicle bearingthe referenced tag. Mere knowledge thatthe suspect is known to operate or beassociated with the vehicle/tag isinsufficient for entry.

VIII. Proponent Unit: Warrant Control Section

IX. Cancellation

This directive cancels Function Code 534,effective date 08-18-99.

J. Thomas MangerChief of Police