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A United States warrant officer is a military rank that carries with it an important role. WOs serve in various positions, from aviation supply operations to law enforcement.
The Warrant Information System (WIN) is a database that tracks the status of all federal warrants to aid in fugitive investigations and apprehension efforts. It also provides a point value to warrants when they are entered into the system, making it known to districts which warrants have a higher investigative priority.
Background
The united states warrant service is responsible for executing fugitive arrest warrants issued by federal judges. The USMS also investigates fugitives wanted by state and local authorities.
The USMS’s fugitive program is complex and involves a variety of investigative techniques. Deputies interview parole and probation officers, speak with family members or associates, and research employment records to generate leads that may lead to a fugitive’s capture.
In addition to investigating fugitive arrest warrants, the USMS also handles warrants for misdemeanors and traffic cases occurring on federal property. In all, the USMS investigates more than 11,000 felony warrants each year.
Currently, the USMS measures its success by the percentage of warrants closed within one year of their issuance date. However, this metric has been inconsistently measured over the years.
Purpose
The purpose of the United States warrant service is to ensure the effective operation of the judicial system by executing Federal arrest warrants, parole violator warrants, and federal custodial and extradition warrants. It also investigates fugitive matters, domestic and foreign, involving escaped Federal prisoners, probation, parole, mandatory release, and bond default violators.
The Warrant Information System (WIN) collects data on fugitive investigations from courts, U.S. Attorneys, other Federal, State, local and foreign law enforcement agencies, public and private organizations, witnesses, informants, and others involved in the investigation. The system tracks warrants and identifies the relative investigative priority of each.
The USMS aims to close 80 percent of warrants within one year of the date they are entered into the WIN system. However, the number of warrants closed in a year has not increased significantly since 1995. The USMS must examine its goals, priorities, and resources to reassess and possibly raise the 80 percent goal.
Scope
The United States warrant service (USMS) has a broad range of responsibilities, including managing the nation’s most important data asset. Besides coordinating the execution of criminal justice related warrants, the USMS collects and disseminates information on a wide variety of activities and issues, both within the government and outside it.
The best part of the USMS is that these data are available for free and without charge to any and all interested parties, including criminal justice agencies and individuals. This translates to more efficient processes and faster results, which in turn makes the United States better.
The UMS is also responsible for the development of the WIN system, which is designed to track and record the various aspects of the fugitive-related warrant-execution process. The WIN system is the result of collaboration among law enforcement agencies and others, including judges, informants, and witnesses. The WIN system’s main function is to provide a comprehensive, easy-to-use database that will allow the USMS to track and manage the largest, most complex, and most interesting fugitive investigations in America.
Functions
The United States warrant service serves as the primary means of prosecuting fugitive criminal cases, in addition to apprehending fugitives. Warrants are issued when there is reasonable suspicion that a crime has been committed, and the subject is unable to be brought into custody within a reasonably short time.
The USMS uses data from a variety of sources including courts, U.S. Attorneys, law enforcement agencies, witnesses and informants to locate fugitives. It also tracks fugitive arrests and apprehensions, both in the United States and abroad.
There are four ranks in the United States warrant service: W-1, CW-2, CW-3 and CW-5. The W-1s are highly skilled, single-track specialty officers. They are commissioned by the secretary of their respective services, the department secretary or the president. They take an oath of office like all other commissioned officers. The CW-2 to CW-5 are senior-level technical and tactical experts who perform the duties of technical leader, manager, integrator and advisor and serve at the branch level.