cit·i·zen's arrest

(sĭt′ĭ-zənz)

1. An arrest made by a person other than a law enforcement officer for a crime committed in the presence of that person.

2. An arrest made by a person who is not a law enforcement officer but who makes the arrest under the authorization of a law enforcement officer.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

citizen's arrest

(Law) an arrest carried out by an ordinary member of the public rather than an officer of the law

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

cit′izen's arrest′

an arrest made by a private citizen whose authority derives from the fact of citizenship.

[1950–55]

Mentioned in

citizen

References in periodicals archive

ABURGLAR went into a dental surgery that had already been broken into "to make a citizen's arrest" - before deciding to see if there was anything he could take himself, a court heard.

Burglar claimed he tried to make a citizen's arrest

He later showed the police footage he had taken on his phone of himself running through theHoughton-le-Springsurgery repeatedly shouting "citizen's arrest".

Man went into dental surgery that had been broken into 'to make citizen's arrest' - then burgled it himself; When police arrived at Dairy Lane Dental Practice in the early hours of the morning, they found items strewn all over the floor and Damian Foster with a torch in his mouth, wearing Marigold gloves as he searched the premises

Drilon: No citizen's arrest for 15-year-old, dismissed case !-- -- (philstar.com) - September 6, 2018 - 1:11pm MANILA, Philippines .

Drilon: No citizen's arrest for 15-year-old, dismissed case

Asked why he would go inside the Senate, Padilla said, 'Aba, may citizen's arrest.'

Robin Padilla wants to arrest Trillanes

The workers present effected a citizen's arrest of one person, who was immediately handed over to the Tema Regional Police Command for action.

National Security in dawn swoop over private land

On Sunday, MMDA said it is eyeing to conduct citizen's arrest against unruly and defiant motorists threatening to harm its traffic enforcers.

MMDA traffic enforcers to be armed with wooden batons by next week

The citizen's arrest law has officially been introduced in Lamu as a measure against increasing crime.

Pounce on criminals, don't wait for police, Lamu residents told

THE law allows you to use "reasonable force" to protect yourself or others, to prevent a crime or make a citizen's arrest.

What's OK in the heat of the moment

Two men carried out a citizen's arrest on schizophrenic David McTaggart after they saw him grab a woman and steal her bag.

Robber died after being restrained by the public

Arun admitted Tom lived up to his fearsome reputation during the citizen's arrest, saying he left the alleged thief looking "wrecked and in shock".

Tom Hardy made a citizen's arrest in London

Former Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland has revealed that Vatican security chiefs were worried about the pontiff being the target of a citizen's arrest.

HOLY TERROR; Vatican fears over citizen's arrest threat to Pope on Scottish visit

And whilst on the subject of wishful thinking: can someone please perform a citizen's arrest on Mother Angela of Berlin, and take her to the Hague and charge her with crimes against humanity?

Deport these dim-witted bishops