Signed written instructions are required and should include information regarding officer hazards, telephone numbers, vehicles driven, and anything else that may be of assistance in locating the person to be arrested. In an effort to enhance the accuracy of civil beach warrants personnel shall request that the plaintiff's instructions contain a description of the defendant whose arrest is to be ordered. If the plaintiff is unable to provide a description, the office shall accept the civil bench warrant and attempt service (CCP 262.1). If the warrant is issued under CCP 708.170 or CCP 491.160, a description of the defendant may not appear. CCP 1993 requires the detailed description of the defendant appear on the warrant, thus the instructions must match the warrant.
The field deputy shall enforce the warrant only where there is a reasonable belief that the person contacted and the one referred to on the warrant are one in the same.