What is the purpose of a want and warrant check of a person?

The primary purpose of a want and warrant check is to determine if there are any active warrants out for a person's arrest. Law enforcement agencies perform these checks to ensure that they are able to manage any legal obligations that an individual may have, which may include outstanding charges or pending court appearances. Active warrants indicate that law enforcement has sufficient evidence to take a person into custody, and checking for these allows officers to ensure public safety and compliance with the law.

While verifying criminal history, requesting assistance, or assessing mental health may be part of broader law enforcement activities, they do not specifically align with the focus of a want and warrant check, which is aimed at identifying outstanding legal actions against a person. Therefore, understanding that the core objective of this check is to find any operative warrants clarifies the importance of this procedure in policing and maintaining order.