How Do Arrest Warrants Work?

Many people associate arrests with traffic stops or immediately following the alleged commission of a crime. However, did you know that a police officer may be able to show up at your door unexpectedly and lawfully place you under arrest? Officers can do this when an arrest warrant is issued and is active. If you are arrested for any reason, you should immediately call an experienced Boca Raton criminal defense attorney before you speak with police.

When there is a warrant for your arrest, the police can wait until they run into you, usually at a traffic stop, to act on the warrant. If police look up your information and learn you have a warrant, they can place you under arrest right there and then. If there is no one else with you in the car, your vehicle may be impounded, which can be costly. On the other hand, if you are driving with family or friends, they will likely watch you get arrested, which can be humiliating.

In addition to traffic stops, police can obtain a warrant and choose to go to the person’s home to serve the warrant and place them under arrest. It is common for police to seek out an arrest if the crime alleged is serious, especially if the subject of the warrant is thought to be dangerous. However, if a warrant is issued for a minor offense – such as failing to appear in court or petty theft – the police may just wait until they encounter the person and will likely not spend time to seek them out.

Recent Warrant Sweep in Florida

In some situations, a police department may choose to clear out all of the active warrants by seeking out a large number of suspects in a “warrant sweep.” A recent sweep north of Boca Raton in Florida illustrates how successful such sweeps can be. They are often performed in the early hours of the morning when most people who not be expecting an officer to be knocking on the door. This particular sweep reportedly resulted in 272 arrests for a variety of offenses.

Common Reasons For an Arrest Warrant

Because warrants can lead to your arrest in many different ways, you should always be aware whether there is a warrant out for your arrest. Warrants can be issued for the following reasons and more:

• Not appearing in court and failing to pay a traffic fine;
• An investigation led police to believe you committed a crime;
• Failure to pay child support.

Our office can help you determine whether you have a warrant for your arrest and can help determine how you should proceed.

Call a Boca Raton Criminal Defense Lawyer For Help Today

At the law office of Lavalle, Brown & Ronan in Boca Raton, our experienced criminal defense attorneys have helped many people who have been unexpectedly arrested fight against their accusations. We will use every resource at our disposal to investigate how your arrest happened and to ensure your rights were not violated in any way. We can help you through every stage of your criminal case and advise you on your best course of action. Please call for a free consultation at 888-646-1315 today.

Resource:

theledger.com/news/20161005/polk-county-sheriffs-office-arrests-272-in-operation-fall-sweep

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