© Tony Giberson/tgiberson@pnj.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
Neighborhood Safety
(New York, NY) – Citizen’s arrest is a somewhat vague term that has varying legal definitions, depending on the location. Typically, it refers to detaining someone via arrest – an ordinary person making that arrest, not a law enforcement officer – and without a formal warrant. Now, a bill just passed the State Senate to ban the practice.
In plain terms, if the bill is passed by the Assembly, it would mean people could get in trouble for interfering when the cops aren’t around.
The State Senate’s version of the bill reads: “Citizen’s arrest laws can create dangerous situations by empowering untrained individuals to attempt to apprehend their fellow New Yorkers. One only need look at the tragedy involving Ahmaud Arbery to see the perils of allowing this approach. Existing New York State law allows private individuals to arrest someone without a warrant for any crime, at any time of the day. In some circumstances, these individuals do not even need to inform the prospective arrestee of the reason for performing the arrest. Private individuals are also currently authorized by law to use ‘such physical force as is justifiable’ to effectuate the arrest, posing a significant danger to
New Yorkers.”
Some people have started reacting to the potential law on social media, including one account who said, “so shop owners cannot stop shoplifters.” Another quipped: “So that means if you attempt to interfere when cops aren’t around you can get in trouble, so watch from afar as crime happens. Wait for cops and hope they come and laugh when Mayor Adams says see something do something.”
