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Citizens arrest

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eraseallhope

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So i always see in some cheesy episode on cops, Some off duty officer or something chasing down the bad guy in just civillian cloths and a gun....

Anyone ever made or know anyone who has mad a citizens arrest?

And what do you think LEO would say if someone happend to make a felony citizens arrest with a firearm?



just a scenario i had floating around in my head
 
C

camsoup

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I make citizens arrests about 2-3 times per week in my line of work. Always un armed of course.

CA law does say you can use a firearm while making a lawful citizens arrest, although the firearm itself my escalate some situations that otherwise might go smoothly without the firearm being introduced.

As far as how LEO would look at it, I would say some would think you are crazy, and others might say thank you. Just going to depend on their views on armed citizens.

You do have to be careful, because you can face civil charges for "false arrest" from the suspect, as a citizen you don't have qualified immunity like police officers do.
 
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Rusty

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Security guards do this all the time. If you see someone committing a crime, you can perform a citizens arrest on them. It is not brilliant, as the previous poster noted, you can get sued.

I don't think a police officer can arrest you for a misdemeanor not committed in their presence. In my experience most citizens arrests are enforced by the police. So, you will tell the person that you are arresting them, and the police will put them in the cuffs.
 
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SomeGuyInCali

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I have made many citizens arrests. I arrested a guy for assault and battery. I also did a lot of arrests as a security guard for a bar. If they physically attacked myself or someone else resulted in handcuffs and a seat on the curb waiting for LEO to take over. Every time I have been armed only with MK-3 Pepper-Gel. (And I have never even had to use it.)

I have, however found firearms on patrons while frisking them at the door. A few were off-duty LEO. Others were shady gang banger style people. Those got arrested and handed over to LEO as citizens arrest.
 
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CA_Libertarian

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I've made citizens arrests before, but none armed. However, a long-time friend of mine once made an arrest at gun point.

The BG had broken into a building (lockpicked the door) after hours and was trying to liberate change from a soda vending machine when my partner walked into the building after finding the door unlocked. When confronted and told he was under arrest, the BG brandished his crowbar and said, "I'm getting out of here," and began advancing toward my friend (who stood between the BG and the only exit). My friend drew down and made it clear to the BG he wasn't going anywhere until the cops arrived.

When taking statements for their report, the officers repeatedly told the BG that he was lucky not to be dead, and that given the circumstances, it would have been a clean shoot if he had made ANY move other than dropping his weapon.

Note that at the time of this incident my friend was POST certified and had all his BSIS certs in order to carry a loaded firearm. Also of interest is that this occurred about 100 feet from the main PD station in Stockton, and the police response time was roughly 10 minutes from the time I placed the call to 9-1-1 (I was the shift supervisor, so I was the one making the call on his behalf after hearing his radio traffic requesting help).
 
N

N6ATF

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CA_Libertarian wrote:
I've made citizens arrests before, but none armed. However, a long-time friend of mine once made an arrest at gun point.

The BG had broken into a building (lockpicked the door) after hours and was trying to liberate change from a soda vending machine when my partner walked into the building after finding the door unlocked. When confronted and told he was under arrest, the BG brandished his crowbar and said, "I'm getting out of here," and began advancing toward my friend (who stood between the BG and the only exit). My friend drew down and made it clear to the BG he wasn't going anywhere until the cops arrived.

When taking statements for their report, the officers repeatedly told the BG that he was lucky not to be dead, and that given the circumstances, it would have been a clean shoot if he had made ANY move other than dropping his weapon.

Note that at the time of this incident my friend was POST certified and had all his BSIS certs in order to carry a loaded firearm. Also of interest is that this occurred about 100 feet from the main PD station in Stockton, and the police response time was roughly 10 minutes from the time I placed the call to 9-1-1 (I was the shift supervisor, so I was the one making the call on his behalf after hearing his radio traffic requesting help).
Click to expand...
When seconds count... the police are 100 feet and 10 minutes away!
 
P

poothrowingape

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Jun 17, 2008
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i've also made a lot of private persons arrests. mostly theft and violence.

I call it a private persons arrest, not a citizens arrest, because you dont have to be an american citizen to make a private persons arrest.
 
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