citizen arrest
Layperson's legal capture
A citizen's arrest is the detention of a person by someone who isn't a law enforcement officer.
Most jurisdictions permit ordinary people to detain someone they witness committing a crime, holding them until police arrive.
The legal boundaries vary widely and the practice carries significant risk—both physical danger and potential liability if the arrest proves unjustified.
He made a citizen's arrest after catching the shoplifter in the act.
- detainHold in custody
- apprehendSeize or understand
- restrainLimit freedom of movement
- handcuffsLocking wrist restraints
- vigilanteExtralegal justice-seeker
bystander · tackle · hold · suspect · crime · witness · bodycam footage · shoplifter · chase · subdue · use of force · legal · force · robbery · theft · confrontation · escape · police
- legal defensesself-defense, alibi, affirmative defense, insanity defense, insanity
- heroismbravery, valor, hero, courage, heroism
- self-defenseself-defense, martial arts, self-protection, karate, pepper spray
- Police Forcedeadly force, excessive force, lethal force, reasonable force, less lethal
- vigilantismvigilante, vigilantism, lynch mob, lynching, mob justice
citizen arrestkidnapping
Unlawful seizure of person
false imprisonment · unlawful detention · abduction · hostage-taking · vigilante justice
citizen, arrest, citizens, citizenship, citizenry, arrests, arrested, arresting, arrestee