2 day seminar
Search, Seizure & Warrants
If You Can’t Get the Warrant, You Can’t Make the Case.
Overview
Constitutional policing starts with knowing what you can legally search, seize, and secure — and having the skill to write a warrant that holds up in court. Patrol officers and investigators write real warrants in class, guided by instructors who have authored and presented hundreds of them across every type of investigation.
The Fundamentals of SS & SW Haven’t Changed Much. Everything Else Has.The 4th Amendment is the anchor. But today’s investigations reach far beyond homes, cars, and paper files. Cell phones, cloud storage, Ring cameras, cell tower records, geo-location pings, and social media have changed what officers need to know — and what they need to write. Every platform, every carrier, every data source has its own legal standard, its own retention window, and its own response process. Miss the window and the evidence is gone. Write the warrant wrong and it’s thrown out.
Warrant Writing Is a Solve Culture Skill.
An officer who can investigate but can’t author a warrant is an officer who is capped. The ability to write a sound warrant — on patrol, mid-investigation, or on a complex case — is one of the clearest markers separating good cops from excellent ones. This training equips every level of officer to operate with legal confidence and close more cases.
Agencies Are Evolving — So Should Your Team.
Forward-thinking agencies are now training non-sworn personnel — analysts, civilian investigators, and CSOs — to prepare warrant documents that sworn officers review and present. This course is built for both sworn and non-sworn audiences, making it a high-value investment for any agency serious about increasing case closure.
Who Should Attend
This course reaches further than most people expect. Whether you’re a first-year patrol officer or a civilian analyst supporting a detective unit, if your work touches evidence, investigations, or legal documents — this training is for you.
Sworn Personnel
- Patrol Officers & First Responders
- Detectives & Investigators
- Gang, Narcotics & Special Victims Investigators
- Internal Affairs Investigators
- Probation & Parole Officers
- Correctional & Jail Investigators
- Fire Investigators
- Medical Examiner / Coroner Investigators
Non-Sworn & Civilian Personnel
- Crime Analysts
- Community Service Officers (CSOs)
- Civilian Investigators
- Records & Administrative Staff supporting warrant preparation
- Child Abuse & Social Services Investigators (APS, CPS, DFCS)
- Anyone whose role involves preparing, reviewing, or supporting legal documents in an investigative capacity
Course Details
- Duration: 2 Full Training Days
- Hours: 16 Hours | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM
- Audience: Patrol Officers, Detectives, Investigators & Civilian Personnel
- Format: Lecture, Case Study & Practical Exercises
- Materials: Course Workbook & Reference Guides
- Certification: Agency-Ready Training Documentation
- CA P.O.S.T.: Plan N/A | Certification #1126-22272
- Location: Regional & On-Site Options Available
Seminar Highlights
- 4th Amendment & Legal Requirements — The constitutional foundation of every lawful search and seizure — and the civil rights stakes of getting it wrong.
- Warrantless Searches & Motor Vehicle Exceptions — When you can legally act without a warrant and how to document it to survive court scrutiny.
- CalECPA / PC 1546 & Digital Devices — California’s digital privacy law decoded — phones, computers, cloud storage, and the steps required before you access any of it.
- Authoring a Sound Warrant — Components & Terminology — Every element a judge needs to see, written in the language that wins approval.
- Special Circumstances: Hobbs, Seal Orders & Special Masters — Navigating high-sensitivity warrants that require additional legal steps.
- Presenting to a Judge: Paper, Electronic & Telephonic — How to present your warrant confidently in any format — including middle-of-the-night telephonic presentations.
- Ramey, Steagald & Geo-Locate Warrants — Arrest warrants, third-party locations, and the evolving world of cellular and geo-location evidence.
- Practical Warrant Writing Exercise — Students write real search warrants from a mock homicide scenario, reviewed and debriefed as a group.
Course Agenda
Instructors
Upcoming COURSES
If you have any questions or need help, please email us at info@tdcorg.com or call us at 408.766.1909
If you can't find any courses near you, please check out our Regional Waitlist
Testimonials
"I enjoyed the practical exercises and working on multiple search warrants section-by-section. This course included practical application of the course material based on real-world cases."
Patrick
SD Harbor PD
"Providing context on the different types of warrants and how they're used was valuable. Having the instructor talk about his cases was excellent — a big eye-opener on how detailed we need to be on our warrants. Keep up the good work! I look forward to jumping into search warrants with my department. The vocab words were a great lesson."
Dan
SDHPD
"The instructor provided a lot of his expertise and training/experience to the class. I liked how he used real-life cases as examples. One of the things I appreciated was the learning environment — it wasn't rigid, and he made the class a fun experience, making it easier to take in all the information. I really enjoyed having Lt. Perez as an instructor. He was very informative and took his time answering our questions. When he retires, it will be a heavy hit to the DA's office."
Jennifer
SDHPD
"The real-life case he presented was very useful, compelling, and engaging to the relevant material. He is extremely knowledgeable about the material. I really liked the worksheet — it was easy to follow and extremely useful. Danny really knocked it out of the park! Awesome speaker and storyteller!"
Jordan
UCSD PD
"Amazing class. The instructor was funny, down to earth, and extremely knowledgeable. I've written a fair amount of warrants already, but I still got a lot from this class."
Nick
Fremont PD
"The instructor provided real-life experience from the cases he's worked. The class was interactive and not boring — I really enjoyed the case studies provided."
Jose
San Bernardino PD
What I liked best was the practical application for the various warrants. Danny was very knowledgeable and attentive to our needs and questions throughout the entire class.
A. Luna
Stanislaus CO
What I liked best was that it was not 'death by powerpoint' — the case studies made the class interesting. The instructor made the class fun and not boring compared to other classes.
Omar
Tracy PD
What I liked best was that the instructor was very engaging and offered real-world stories that brought the material to life. Great instructor.
Zach
EGPD
What I liked best was how interactive Danny was — I never felt bored during the class. This class was great and I would recommend it to anyone trying to be a detective.
Carlos
Elk Grove PD
Real-life experience and case studies helped me grasp the concepts presented. The instructor did a great job of explaining the material, and it was clear from the start that he has real expertise in the subject matter.
Anonymous Author
May 2026, Search/Seizure Warrants
What I liked best was learning about the warrant variations and how to build information packages for the warrants. Solid class if you want to get into investigations and want to learn how to build strong warrants.
Matt
Elk Grove PD
What I really liked were the case studies and hearing the instructor's expertise — both made the material come alive.
Anonymous Author
May 2026, Search/Seizure/Search Warrants, Rocklin
What I liked best was watching real-life videos (body cams) and determining what, if any, warrants could be issued. I also found it very helpful that Perez was very patient and very willing to help writing the practice warrants. I really enjoyed Perez's positive attitude in teaching new officers like myself how to write a warrant effectively by using the Hobbs.
Padvir
Berkeley PD
What I liked best was learning about Hobbs and how to make my warrants bullet proof. Great class, relaxed environment, great material.
Shannon
Alameda PD
What I liked best was the instructor's first-hand knowledge and experience. The PowerPoint with real search warrant templates will be very helpful going forward.
Jordan
Rocklin PD
The instructor was very knowledgeable, and the real cases and current information provided made the material directly applicable to the job.
Anonymous Author
May 2026, Search Warrants / Rocklin
What I liked best about this class was learning about the warrant process — and the class and instructor were awesome!
Andre
Vacaville PD
What I liked best was watching real-life videos (body cams) and determining what, if any, warrants could be issued. I also found it very helpful that the instructor was very patient and very willing to help writing the practice warrants. I really enjoyed his positive attitude in teaching new officers like myself how to write a warrant effectively by using the Hobbs.
Padvir
Berkeley PD
What I liked best was learning about Hobbs and how to make my warrants bullet proof. Great class, relaxed environment, great material.
Shannon
Alameda PD
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