I worked patrol in the early 80's when mobile data terminals were just being introduced (I never had one). We could check people for wants or warrants either via telephone or radio, but that took time and we only did that if the person was a suspect but not going to jail (we always checked prisoners using fingerprints and computers per policy as part of the booking process). But my personal policy was to check
everyone whose name made it's way onto the pages of my notebook. I usually did that at the end of the shift using a terminal at the substation. If I was training a probationary that was his/her chore each night.
If the contact with someone was as a suspect, I always got their DL or ID. Often suspects didn't have ID on them, and in those cases I would use my own judgement on letting them give me their information, or loading them up and taking them downtown to check their prints.
If the person was a non-suspect, but they were going to be mentioned in an investigation as a complainant or witness, I usually asked for their DL or ID because it was required in our offense report format.
In situations like in the OP's case, in which no report is going to be filed because no crime occurred, I would still record his name in my notebook because I was dispatched to the residence on official business. Every good cop is going to make a note of the details of when he got the call, where he went, who he talked to, and what he did. And like I said before, if your name went in my notebook, you got checked sooner or later.
I think the deputy was telling it like it was when he said.
...it would be easier to run my information through several databases that exist to make sure I wasn't wanted or otherwise needed for questioning by using the license. They could do it without it but just a bit more work for them.
It's nothing personal, it's just routine record keeping and due diligence. It's part of what the police get paid to do, and what people expect them to do. Just remember, if you call the cops you have invited the scrutiny of a nosy person with a lot of authority to take an official interest in you.