- 1). If you witness a crime, immediately notify police. You should do that before taking any action against the lawbreaker. Notify the dispatcher of your location and of the crime committed. If you plan to try to make a citizen's arrest, inform the dispatcher.
- 2). Tell the suspected lawbreaker that you are making a citizen's arrest. Order the violator to stop breaking whatever law he is breaking, and tell him to stand by with you for the arrival of police.
- 3). When police officers arrive, explain what the suspect did and tell them you made a citizen's arrest. If it is a serious offense and the crime is immediately evident to the officers, they might simply need you as a witness. If the crime is minor, they might in fact need you, as the witness, to be the arresting party. Be guided by what they tell you.
- 4). You will then have to sign a criminal complaint against the person you arrested. Most likely you'll have to follow the officers to their station in order to do this.
- 5). Because laws on citizen's arrest vary from one state to another, don't physically restrain a suspect unless you are absolutely sure it is allowed by your state.
If the lawbreaker is armed or violent, and no one else is in danger, do not put yourself in danger to make a citizen's arrest. Call police and let the professionals handle the arrest.
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