Maybe you saw the recent New York Times Magazine Tip: “How to Make a Citizen’s Arrest,” by Malia Wollan, May 6, 2016. (Also in their “Crime and Criminals” library.)
Maybe you wondered about Oregon’s laws on citizen’s arrests?
Maybe you also wondered if Portland, Oregon, means business with its Vision Zero plan (zero traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries)?
If you Google the words: Oregon citizen arrest, you’ll get an immediate answer to just about anyone’s question about citizens arrests in Oregon, you’ll get a link to attorney Ray Thomas’s excellent and detailed website posts on the subject and links to the statute, ORS 153.058, and even to my previous OLR posts on citizen arrest rights.
Sarah Mirk wrote a recent article about a “citizens arrest” communication gap, which has nothing to do with a generation gap. I bet all these police officers and bicyclists have Internet at home and if anyone asked them a question, they would imediately go online.
If you walk or bicycle, I highly recommend that you keep a reference to the statute on a sticky note or on your smart-phone, and read the article:
Another hitherto little noticed section of the ORS (see also the Jury “Duty” post about ORS 10.235): this time, it’s ORS 153.058, Initiation of violation proceeding by private party.
(Perhaps I should have my readers working on the ORS instead of the Oregon Constitution?)
See the story in the Willamette Week, by Corey Pein, 9/3/08: DIY Justice: In Oregon, The Man lets you be The Man, too. Here’s how to play traffic cop.
Oregon Legal Research Blog