When can you make a citizen's arrest?

When can you make a citizen's arrest?

• A. At any time
• B. When a person has committed an arrestable offence
• C. Only with police permission
• D. When you suspect a crime

Answer: (B)

You can make a citizen’s arrest when you have witnessed or have strong reason to believe that a person has committed an arrestable offense. The idea is that private individuals aren’t free to detain anyone at any time or on a mere hunch; the crime must be one for which a private person is allowed to arrest, and there should be a real, observable act of wrongdoing. That’s why the correct understanding is that you arrest when a person has committed an arrestable offense. The other ideas—arresting at any time, needing police permission, or arresting just because you suspect something—don’t fit because they either ignore the requirement of an actual offense, rely on mere suspicion, or wrongly imply you need police permission to act.

You can make a citizen’s arrest when you have witnessed or have strong reason to believe that a person has committed an arrestable offense. The idea is that private individuals aren’t free to detain anyone at any time or on a mere hunch; the crime must be one for which a private person is allowed to arrest, and there should be a real, observable act of wrongdoing. That’s why the correct understanding is that you arrest when a person has committed an arrestable offense. The other ideas—arresting at any time, needing police permission, or arresting just because you suspect something—don’t fit because they either ignore the requirement of an actual offense, rely on mere suspicion, or wrongly imply you need police permission to act.