Arrest

An arrest is when a person's liberty is removed by taking them into jail or the police station (custody). This is usually done after an investigation of a crime or in stopping a crime from taking place. The term comes from Anglo-Norman. It is related to the French word arrêt, which means "stop".

Police and some other organisations are allowed to arrest people. In some places, normal people can arrest others (a "citizen's arrest"). For example, in England and Wales, a citizen's arrest can be made on someone who has committed a serious crime, though there are rules as to when and how this can be done.^[1]

1. ↑ section 24a, Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984