Gwinnett County Police Uses eWarrants to Reduce Warrant Errors

The Gwinnett County Police Department was one of the first to use the eWarrants system, allowing officers to apply for warrants electronically. Police officers can put in information about the suspect such as name, age and address, then submit it to the court with a form that includes the felony charge they are seeking. Once approved, the officer receives a text alert and can pick up the warrant at the courthouse. The eWarrants system is an attempt to reduce errors in paperwork and the time it takes for law enforcement officers to file a warrant, which can cost agencies unplanned overtime hours.

WCNC Charlotte investigated how other communities have implemented the technology and learned that it isn’t always a smooth transition. Often the systems don’t communicate with each other and it can take days for the information to be available on an impaired driver’s background check.

Judges also are able to view eWarrants in real-time and this can help to cut down on the number of false arrests due to stale data.

InnovateOhio developed the eWarrants system and is assisting courts, law enforcement agencies and clerks in all 88 counties to install it for free. Meigs County Common Pleas Court Judge Linda Warner was an early adopter of the eWarrants system and praised it as a “lifesaver” in a report in the Columbus Dispatch newspaper.

The eWarrant solution is an online, secure, virtual warrant system that allows officers to access it from anywhere at any time on an internet connected device. It also provides a complete audit trail of all the steps taken in the application and judicial review process for variety of eWarrants. The solution is managed by FusionStak, the nation’s top Warrant Solutions company and it is backed by an experienced team of public safety professionals who are passionate about technology and improving the lives of Ohio’s law enforcement officers. Ewarrants