Policy Text
SACRAMENTO POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDERS
GO 550.07
Page 1 of 1
550.07
Ramey Arrest Warrants
07-30-2025
PURPOSE
The purpose of this order is to provide guidelines for obtaining and utilizing Ramey arrest warrants.
POLICY
It shall be the policy of the Sacramento Police Department (SPD) to follow the procedures established by
this order when obtaining pre-complaint arrest warrants.
PROCEDURE
A.DEFINITIONS
1.COMPLAINT PROCEDURE – The process of obtaining an arrest warrant where the probable cause
declaration is submitted to the District Attorney’s (DA) Office for a criminal complaint filing decision.
2.EVOLVING INCIDENTS – An ongoing investigation of a serious or significant crime when:
a.SPD officers are overtly or covertly on surveillance at a location where the suspect is located.
b.An outside agency ’s officers are deployed in their jurisdiction on a suspect wanted by SPD.
3.eWARRANTS PORTAL – System established by the Sacramento County Superior Court for officers to
submit search and arrest warrants electronically for approval.
4.RAMEY PROCEDURE – The process of obtaining an arrest warrant by submitting the probable cause
declaration directly to a magistrate.
5.RAMEY ARREST WARRANT – An arrest warrant obtained outside of regular court hours or during
evolving incidents where the probable cause declaration is submitted directly to the magistrate before
the DA has made a filing decision.
B.COMPLAINT PROCEDURE VERSUS RAMEY PROCEDURE
1.The complaint procedure consists of officers documenting probable cause to arrest in a crime report
package and presenting it to the DA, who presents a complaint to the magistrate. The magistrate has
discretion to issue an arrest warrant.
2.The Ramey procedure consists of officers documenting probable cause to arrest and presenting it
directly to the magistrate via the eWarrants Portal using the warrant template provided. The magistrate
has discretion to electronically approve the arrest warrant and the complaint from the DA follows the
arrest.
3.Ramey arrest warrants shall not be routinely sought as an alternative to the complaint procedure and
must be approved by a supervisor.
C.GUIDELINES OF USE
1.Ramey arrest warrants shall not be sought when other lawful means to affect a warrantless arrest are
available.
2.Ramey arrest warrants may be sought during evolving incidents in which an arrest warrant is required
to make lawful entry onto private property.
D.SEARCH WARRANTS WITH RAMEY WARRANTS
1.A search warrant may be required before an officer may lawfully seize evidence, or to serve an arrest
warrant at a third-party location.
a.In this instance only one affidavit is needed, but it must be sufficiently detailed to support the
issuance of the Ramey arrest warrant and a search warrant.
E.PROCEDURES FOLLOWING THE ARREST AND BOOKING
1.For purposes of a criminal proceeding, officers shall treat this type of arrest as a warrantless arrest.
Following the arrest, submit the police report package with a copy of the Ramey arrest warrant to the
DA’s Office for a criminal complaint to be issued.