What type of warrant allows police to make an arrest without a formal arrangement with the courts?

An arrest warrant is a legal document issued by a judge or magistrate that authorizes law enforcement to take a person into custody. This type of warrant does not require the officer to have a prior arrangement with the courts at the time of the arrest; instead, it is obtained beforehand based on probable cause that a crime has been committed and the individual named in the warrant is responsible for that crime. The officer must present evidence to demonstrate this probable cause before a judge issues the warrant.

In contrast, a search warrant is specifically focused on allowing police to search a specified location for evidence of a crime, rather than for making an arrest. A summons is a document that notifies an individual to appear in court, typically for minor offenses, but it does not involve immediate arrest. A citation is a notice issued for minor violations, often allowing the individual to pay a fine rather than face arrest. None of these alternatives empower law enforcement in the same way an arrest warrant does for the immediate apprehension of a suspect.