ANSWERS: 2
  • Yes, there is. Citizen's arrest (an arrest performed by a private citizen, as opposed to a sworn law enforcement officer) dates back to medieval England and the English common law. Sheriffs encouraged ordinary citizens to help apprehend law breakers. In the United States, state law varies. Some states permit citizen's arrests, but usually they may only be carried out if a person witnesses another person committing a felony or is helping police apprehend a suspect. Other countries, such as Canada, France, and Sweden allow citizen's arrests under certain circumstances. General provisions tend to be that the crime has to be serious and the arrestee has to be caught in flagrante delicto. In New Zealand, citizen's arrests can be made if the crime is being committed at night, is punishable by three or more years of imprisonment, and the person is attempting to escape from the person making the arrest. The person making the arrest must also inform the suspect the reason he or she is being arrested and take him or her to the nearest police officer. Most law enforcement officials discourage anyone from performing a citizen's arrest, especially where physical force is involved. Doing so can subject a person to legal action, including charges of impersonating police, false imprisonment, kidnapping, or wrongful arrest, especially if the wrong person is apprehended or a suspect's civil rights are violated. Anyone who witnesses a crime taking place is recommended to notify the police. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen%27s_arrest
  • Yes, a citizen can make arrests for a witnessed crime. citizen arrest laws vary from state to state. tennesse has one of the strongest, if not the strongest citizen arrest law in the united states. Every wonder how shoplifters are apprehended, without the police? department store security personnel work under the citizen arrest law. when a person, in a department store, is observed shoplifting, security personnel stop the offender and can use whatever force is necessary to effect the arrest. the shoplifter is then turned over to the police and transported to jail. security personnel are responsible for signing warrants and prosecuting shoplifters. You, as a citizen, have the same citizen arrest power. if force is used to effect an arrest, you must be able to explain to a grand jury, why the force was necessary. A word of caution.....i would only attempt a citizens arrest for very serious, criminal violations of the law, like armed robbery, murder, arson, rape, and aggravated assault. also, keep the thought of civil liability very fresh in your mind. A final thought. you, as a citizen are not the police. meaning, that when a citizen, places someone under citizen arrest, the citizen does not have to advise the arrested person of their constitutional rights, as required by the police. a civil lawsuit, for a false arrest, can be very costly. know what you are doing and the consequences, before you act.

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