Citizen's arrest

[fultondalecrappie]

I have been noticing a guy on a bicycle buying drugs on my street. He rides his bike from wherever he lives and just waits in the road and a car will show up and they make the deal and go their seprate ways. I video tapped them,got tag numbers and the police say that they have to catch them in the act. I am getting very tired of this going on and police don't seem to care. Will I get arrested if I go out there with my AR 15 and attempt to arrest them? I live in Alabama.

[Cane Pole]

I have been noticing a guy on a bicycle buying drugs on my street. He rides his bike from wherever he lives and just waits in the road and a car will show up and they make the deal and go their seprate ways. I video tapped them,got tag numbers and the police say that they have to catch them in the act. I am getting very tired of this going on and police don't seem to care. Will I get arrested if I go out there with my AR 15 and attempt to arrest them? I live in Alabama.

I wanna film it.

[stoddard73]

It would more than likly turn out to be citizen's shooting. See if local media wants to get involved.

[deathb4disco]

Will I get arrested if I go out there with my AR 15 and attempt to arrest them?

I think you're likely to get in trouble, despite your good intentions. Why don't you contact a local TV station? I think they would love a story like this.

[BigSandyRookie]

Here's part of the law in TENNESSEE. I don't know if Alabama is similar or not. Also, there are other provisions....such as what to do with the person arrested and whether you have to tell them what they are being arrested for...In other words, this isn't ALL of the law on the topic:

40-7-109. Arrest by private person -- Grounds.

(a) A private person may arrest another:

(1) For a public offense committed in the arresting person's presence;

(2) When the person arrested has committed a felony, although not in the arresting person's presence; or

(3) When a felony has been committed, and the arresting person has reasonable cause to believe that the person arrested committed the felony.

(b) A private person who makes an arrest of another pursuant to the provisions of §§ 40-7-109 -- 40-7-115 shall receive no arrest fee or compensation for the arrest.

Now, there is a reason the officers say it has to happen in their presence. Suppose you arrest the guy for selling dope....Then you get to court. Now, how do you prove it with ADMISSIBLE evidence?? This is where it gets tricky AND you could be opening yourself up to a lawsuit. Bottom line is.....report it, often if necessary. Get the media involved if it is a real problem and your reports are ignored. Just my .02 Unless there are problems with your local police, they are probably trying to get the guy if you reported it. Sometimes it takes a while to get a good case. Sometimes you do have to make a little noise.

[Fishtaco]

Send the video and a complaint, along with the officer's name to whom you made the report to both the local DA and all the local TV stations.

Then, call them daily and ask what they plan to do about it. Also, send the footage to your local mayor and members of your city council. The point here is to make as many folks aware of this problem as possible.

[LunaticFringeInc]

Bro', I understand your flustration, but seriously let the ploice handle this one! While you can do it, doing it with an AR-15 is more drama than you need in your life. It might also get you arrested too. It might get you shot as well and be justified by the perp in court to boot too! Its not right but it does work that way far too often where the good guy ends up with the short end of the stick. If you arrest him expect his lawyer to have a field day with you in court! As such he will probably weasel his way free as a bird and with a Ax to grind and a score to even against you. You and your family dont need that. Have you check the price of Lawyers these days to defend you? It pays about as much as pushing drugs!!!

Keep callin the police and keep bugging them. Sooner or later they will get tired of hearing the phone ring and it will move higher up on thier priority list of things to do in the list of hundreds they face each 8 hour shift! The local news station aint a bad idea...nothing the city hates worse than being made a mockery of. That would be a quick way to get the problem at the top of the priority list!

[Fisherman_Wantabe]

I wanna film it.

I want to be part of the film crew :D:D:D

[fishinRod]

If you let them see you video taping them they'll go somewhere else, it wont solve the problem, just move it, but most likely the courts wont solve it either. Whatever the case, dont let it keep going on or others will follow and then you will have a BIG problem.

[Fisherman_Wantabe]

I have been noticing a guy on a bicycle buying drugs on my street. He rides his bike from wherever he lives and just waits in the road and a car will show up and they make the deal and go their seprate ways. I video tapped them,got tag numbers and the police say that they have to catch them in the act. I am getting very tired of this going on and police don't seem to care. Will I get arrested if I go out there with my AR 15 and attempt to arrest them? I live in Alabama.

Call (Crime Stoppers) they are still in business ain't they?? Use to see that ad on TV all the time!
A good dog would stop the guy on the bike from coming by for sure. This would just change their location.
Around her our Drug Task Force is so "GUN HOE" they would have a stake out, Natioanl Guard and air cover, if some one had video of a drug deal :D:D
But taking the AR out would just help the anti gunners
I would think like the rest that the local news would eat this up.
Just my 2 cents