Professional police forces date from the early 19th Century (1829 in London, England and 1844 in New York City, US -- see: http://www.met.police.uk/history/definition.htm http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/historyonline/policing.cfm )
It should be no surprise that citizens would have police powers since they were the law enforcement officers at the founding of our republic. Sheriffs would be elected from the body of the citizens and would call upon the help of citizens when needed for police actions. But Sheriffs were frequently distant from the need for policing. While I always liked the Western "High Noon" for its drama and pacing, the portrail of a cowardly town who would refuse to aid the sheriff to keep the peace did not ring true of the American spirit. Instead, the Northfield Raid by the James-Younger Gang in 1876 showed how ordinary American's would react to bandits (and they didn't have an hour to get organized as in "High Noon"). These private citizens shot the gang to pieces in the town and when it fled, the townspeople pursued the gang for weeks(ref. http://www.mnhs.org/library/tips/history_topics/16northfield.html). Phil > This is a cryptographically signed message in MIME format. > > > There is another scenario that has been neglected: making an arrest. Most of > he situations presented involve offenses by the perp that authorize the > defender to make a custodial arrest, and to use a firearm to effect that > arrest. Of course, the defender should announce that it is an arrest, and > perhaps cite the offense for which the arrest is being made, but a civilian > has, in every state of which I am aware, most of the same arrest authority > that a law enforcement officer does, at least for offenses committed in his > presence. The civilian should, in general, follow the policies prevailing > locally for law enforcement officers in the use of a firearm in such situations. > > Moreover, civilians have a duty to make an arrest of a felony or serious > misdemeanor (as provided by law), not just to avoid personal injury, if they > can do so without undue risk. Civilians have the same duty officers do, just > not the duty to do it on a regular duty schedule, as a job. > > -- Jon > _______________________________________________ To post, send message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, unsubscribe, change options, or get password, see http://lists.ucla.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/firearmsregprof
