Despite the predictable derailed train wreck this has become, one outcome of this thread for me, was that it prompted me to review the citizen's arrest laws for my home state.
I had done that years ago, but a refresher was worth my time:
In my home state, there are rules and regulations around a citizen's arrest - acceptable use of restraint. The guidelines around being an actual, in person whiteness of an ACTUAL crime in progress.... Plus the use of force to restrain, and the acceptable use of deadly force. It's late and I won't go into the details, but there is a lot to think about when apprehending someone as a civilian.
Not to mention:
Assisting a peace officer after being commanded to do so, and the civil protections afforded if you jump in.
And, the penalties if you refuse, which actually exist in Colorado.
And, all of the guidance about when you will and won't be protected from civil suites, which for most of us, is probably the biggest threat in these situations.
