Arrest Warrant by Tampa Police

If a police officer with a local law enforcement agency, like the Tampa Police Department, develops probable cause that a particular suspect committed a crime, then the officer might seek an arrest warrant. To obtain the warrant, the officer makes a request to the judge.

The judge might sign the warrant with pen and ink, although most arrest warrants are now signed electronically.  Unfortunately, the court will NOT notify you that the warrant was issued.

Although you can search online for the warrant, the warrant might not be entered into the system for several days while the officer attempts to serve the warrant on you.

Keeping the warrant a secret makes it easier for law enforcement officers to locate the subject and make an arrest. The officer might come to your home, school, or work to serve the arrest warrant.

During the investigation, either before or after getting the arrest warrant, the officers are trained to ask you questions about whether you committed the crime. This questioning is sometimes called an interrogation.

Although you don’t have to make a statement, most people just start talking and answer all of the officer’s questions. Those statement can then be used against them when the case is prosecuted.

An attorney can help you properly invoke your right to remain silent guaranteed by the Fifth and Sixth Amendment of the United States Constitution. You have the right to remain silent and to be represented by counsel at every stage of the case.

Even through you shouldn’t make a statement, your attorney can present your side of the story. An attorney can minimize the chances that your statements will be misconstrued or used against you. The attorney can also gather important evidence that might show your innocence.

An attorney can also help you determine whether an arrest warrant was issued and whether it has been entered into the system. We can conduct an online search for the warrant, or contact the investigating officer.

In some cases, your attorney can petition the court to withdraw the warrant or quash the capias, especially after a failure to appear in court.

In other cases, your attorney might be able to file a motion to surrender you in the courtroom so that the issue of setting a reasonable bond can be addressed before you go into custody.

Depending on the circumstances, your criminal defense lawyer might be able to speed up your release or help you avoid going into custody altogether.

Attorney for an Arrest Warrant in Tampa, FL

The first step is finding out whether you have an outstanding warrant and gathering as much information as you can.

An attorney can help you determine if the warrant actually exists, find out the bond amount attached to the warrant (if any), and determine the best way to resolve the warrant so that you can save money, time, and embarrassment.

An experienced criminal defense attorney also needs to be able to help you fight the underlying charge so that your rights are protected at every stage of the case as you fight for the best result.

The attorneys at Sammis Law Firm represent clients after a warrant is issued during an investigation involving the Tampa Police Department or other law enforcement agencies in the greater Tampa Bay area.

We fight charges at the courthouse in Tampa and Plant City in Hillsborough County, FL. Whether your outstanding arrest warrant is for a felony or misdemeanor offense, if the warrant was issued in the greater Tampa Bay area, then we can help.

If you are wanted for a crime, then contact our attorneys today to discuss your case during a free consultation. Let us put our experience to work for you.

Call (813) 250-0500 today.

Types of Arrest Warrants Issued in Florida

The term “arrest warrant” is defined as a document signed by a judge that authorizes law enforcement to make an arrest and bring you back before the court. In Florida, the court can issue several different types of warrants including:

• an arrest warrant;
• a bench warrant;
• a capias issued after a failure to appear in court;
• a violation of probation or community control warrant;
• an extradition or fugitive warrant; or
• a governor’s warrant.

An arrest warrant involving the Tampa Police Department can be issued for a variety of reasons including:

• the commission of a new misdemeanor or felony;
• a violation of probation or community control; or
• a failure to appear in court.

If you have an outstanding arrest warrant issued by an officer with the police department in Tampa, FL, then contact the experienced attorneys at Sammis Law Firm.

Additional Resources

Tampa Police Department Warrant Inquiry – Visit the website of the City of Tampa to learn more about a warrant inquiry. The website explains why the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Offices provides warrant inquires online for Hillsborough County, including for warrants involve the local police department in the City of Tampa. When an arrest warrant is obtained by an officer with the City of Tampa the officer might hold the warrant or enter the warrant into a system so that it shows up during a warrant search on the website of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.

TPD Police Records Section – Visit the website of the Tampa Police Department to find a section of the website with a search feature for finding police reports. The Records Section of TPD is responsible for entering and preparing reports for reporting crime in the State of Florida. Those records might include traffic rash reports.

Hillsborough County Warrant Inquiry – Visit the website of the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, Chad Chorister, Sheriff, to search for outstanding and warrants issued in Hillsborough County. Search the warrant database for active warrants by number or name.

Wanted Persons Warrant List by the FDLE – Visit the Florida Crime Information Center (FCIC) maintained by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) to find a list of wanted people on a statewide basis throughout the State of Florida with an active outstanding warrant in any felony or misdemeanor case. The FCIC database has warrant information that is reported by local law enforcement agencies throughout Florida.

Florida Absconder/Fugitive Information Search – Visit the website of the Florida Department of Corrections to find the Corrections Offender Information Network with online search features. This database contains public record information on felony offenders sentenced to the Florida Department of Corrections. You can search by entering the name, aliases, DC number, DC Criminal History Offense Category, county of supervision, and current location.

This article was last updated on Tuesday, June 28, 2022.