If you have taken action to conduct a citizen’s arrest, you must report the event to Police as soon as practicable. Making a citizen’s arrest is lawful in certain circumstances and can carry legal and personal risk. Things to ConsiderYour Safety Comes FirstAttempting to restrain someone during a citizen’s arrest can be dangerous. Citizen’s arrest protectionsNot to be mistaken with constabulary powers, the protections an individual has under the Crimes Act 1961 when conducting a citizen’s arrest may vary in certain circumstances as detailed below. Under the Crimes Act, “protected from criminal responsibility” means not liable to any proceedings except a civil proceeding.