Warrant Office
Edmund Postawko
Chief Warrant Officer
Almost all criminal cases begin with the making of a police report when a crime is reported by a citizen. Police investigate the circumstances and facts surrounding the case, and then bring the case to the Warrant Office to have formal criminal charges made. Most cases are reviewed by an Assistant Circuit Attorney (ACA) within 24 hours after an arrest.
Sometimes charges are filed immediately. Other times, more information is requested by the prosecutor before making a charging decision. Legal decisions are based on:
• The available facts
• The legality of available evidence
• The law
• The availability and credibility of witnesses
Specific case information is available on cases that have been charged and been arraigned can be found on through the “Search Case Data” on this website.
See our “Anatomy of a Prosecution” diagram for further discussion of criminal procedure in the City of St. Louis.
