Rule 515. Execution of Arrest Warrant.

 (A)  A warrant of arrest may be executed at any place within the Commonwealth.

 (B)  A warrant of arrest shall be executed by a police officer.

   No substantive change in the law is intended by paragraph (A) of this rule; rather, it was adopted to carry on those provisions of the now repealed Criminal Procedure Act of 1860 that had extended the legal efficacy of an arrest warrant beyond the jurisdictional limits of the issuing authority. The Judicial Code now provides that the territorial scope of process shall be prescribed by the Supreme Court’s procedural rules. 42 Pa.C.S. § §  931(d), 1105(b), 1123(c), 1143(b), 1302(c), 1515(b).

   For the definition of police officer, see Rule 3.

   Section 8953 of the Judicial Code, 42 Pa.C.S. §  8953, provides for the execution of warrants of arrest beyond the territorial limits of the police officer’s primary jurisdiction. See also Commonwealth v. Mason, 490 A.2d 421 (Pa. 1985).

   Pursuant to Rule 540, the defendant is to receive a copy of the warrant and the supporting affidavit at the time of the preliminary arraignment.

   For purposes of executing an arrest warrant under this rule, warrant information transmitted by using advanced communication technology has the same force and effect as an original arrest warrant. This rule does not require that the transmitted warrant information be an exact copy of the original warrant. Nothing in this rule, however, is intended to curtail the Rule 540(C) requirement that the issuing authority provide the defendant with an exact copy of the warrant. See Rule 513 (Requirements for Issuance).

   Official Note

   Formerly Rule 124, adopted January 28, 1983, effective July 1, 1983; amended July 12, 1985, effective January 1, 1986; January 1, 1986 effective date extended to July 1, 1986; renumbered Rule 122 and Comment revised August 9, 1994, effective January 1, 1995; renumbered Rule 515 and amended March 1, 2000, effective April 1, 2001; Comment revised May 10, 2002, effective September 1, 2002.

   Committee Explanatory Reports:

   Report explaining the August 9, 1994 Comment revisions published at 22 Pa.B. 6 (January 4, 1992); Final Report published with the Court’s Order at 24 Pa.B. 4342 (August 27, 1994).

   Final Report explaining the March 1, 2000 reorganization and renumbering of the rules published with the Court’s Order at 30 Pa.B. 1477 (March 18, 2000).

   Final Report explaining the May 10, 2002 Comment revision concerning advanced communication technology published with the Court’s Order at 32 Pa.B. 2591 (May 25, 2002).

   The provisions of this Rule 515 amended May 10, 2002, effective September 1, 2002, 32 Pa.B. 2582. Immediately preceding text appears at serial page (264236).