citizens' arrests
Layperson suspect detainment
A citizen's arrest is the detention of a person by someone who isn't a law enforcement officer, typically when witnessing a crime.
The legality varies by jurisdiction, and such arrests carry significant legal risk—wrong about the crime or using excessive force, and the citizen becomes the lawbreaker.
He attempted a citizen's arrest of the shoplifter but was later sued for false imprisonment.
- vigilantismExtralegal enforcement by civilians
- stand your groundRefuse to back down
- abuse of powerMisusing entrusted authority
- legal liabilityResponsibility under the law
- criminal chargesFormal accusations of lawbreaking
common law · reasonable suspicion · caught in the act · probable cause · self-defense laws · use of force · bodily harm · shoplifting · accountability · Miranda rights · moral responsibility · psychological stress · false imprisonment · trespassing · fraud detection · bounty hunter · private security · store detective
citizens' arrestsarrest warrants
Legal documents authorizing detention
legal summons · legal custody · subpoena · extradition · arraignment
citizens' arrestsnon-intervention
Policy of staying uninvolved
looking the other way · release · letting go · standing by · turning a blind eye
citizen, citizens, arrest, arrests, arrested, arresting, arrester, arrestee, citizenship