When Police Need to be Arreted and Only Citizens Are There?

[gvf]

I'm thinking of the Fullerton CA case of 6 police officers beating a homeless man to death. The case is on my news-sites. However, as an example of siutations that unfortunately do happen with police at times: if you were a witness to such a group beating, and had a CCW, you might call 911 and use your gun to threaten attackers to stop. One such beating happened in my own city - though no one did stop it. Victim is paralyzed for life. Attackers charged with multiple grave crimes.

But what if the attackers are police officers? Pulling a gun on marauding police will get you shot quickly. But, without use of gun, can you place them under Citizens Arrest? It is a felony you are witnessing after all. Is it crazy to do that though - sounds like you would be beat to death as well.

Second, who would call before doing that: or maybe just call and not interfere - hoping victim lived: 911 to get more cops out to stop the first group? Or call the FBI? The FBI usually investigates these police brutality cases and I believe they have jurisdiction.

 

[Sam1911]

The arrest powers of a citizen really aren't on-topic for THR.

Sounds like a situation where being a good witness is about all you could possibly do.

We say often enough that interjecting yourself into a violent situation, involving parties not directly known/related to you, that you don't understand fully is highly irresponsible and is likely to have grave, unfortunate consequences. And that's just in instances of random citizens you might observe engaged in hostilities.

How much more so is this the case when you decide to interject in resisting the actions of police officers acting in their official capacity?

Take pictures or video (where legal), file a complaint, raise a fuss in some legal fashion after the fact, if you think wrong-doing has taken place. These days, that gets results.

(Well, it's FAR more likely to get positive results than getting yourself shot and/or arrested for obstructing, and/or assaulting a police officer.)

Obstructing an arrest or other proceeding is neither tactically nor legally sound.