G4 and the like to be given the right to arrest.....please sign if you don't agree

[bodsier]

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/stop-tories-giving-g4s-serco-the-power-to-arrest?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=advert&utm_campaign=24_10_2017_g4s_moi&bucket=facebook-advert-24_10_2017_g4s_moi

[JohnL]

I don't trust G4S etc any more than I could throw them but maybe I'm old fashioned or something but I thought everybody (citizens and police) had the same right to arrest in the UK.

Edit: I wonder if the change here is "detention"

[rendelharris]

JohnL Wrote:

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> I don't trust G4S etc any more than I could throw

> them but maybe I'm old fashioned or something but

> I thought everybody (citizens and police) had the

> same right to arrest in the UK.

The powers of citizen's arrest are actually quite limited - from memory a person has to be about to injure themselves or others, to cause loss of or damage to property or to be at risk of absconding before a police officer can attend having done one of those things. One can't, for example, carry out a citizen's arrest on someone who owes you child support, even though a court can order they be arrested for the offence. A civilian can't execute court arrest warrants unless specifically authorized by the court to do so - I think that's the main power the government want to give G4S. Which, given their track record, is a very, very silly idea.

[Robert Poste's Child]

Signed. Reminds me of one of the first rules of business: don't outsource core activities...

[Loz]

Has anything ever changed one iota because of a 38 degrees petition? At least the Parliament petition site can force them to respond and/or debate the issue.

Mind you, the supposed 'reasoning' behind their name - "38 Degrees is the angle at which snowflakes come together to form an avalanche" - still gives me a good laugh.

[JohnL]

rendelharris Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> JohnL Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I don't trust G4S etc any more than I could

> throw

> > them but maybe I'm old fashioned or something

> but

> > I thought everybody (citizens and police) had

> the

> > same right to arrest in the UK.

>

> The powers of citizen's arrest are actually quite

> limited - from memory a person has to be about to

> injure themselves or others, to cause loss of or

> damage to property or to be at risk of absconding

> before a police officer can attend having done one

> of those things. One can't, for example, carry

> out a citizen's arrest on someone who owes you

> child support, even though a court can order they

> be arrested for the offence. A civilian can't

> execute court arrest warrants unless specifically

> authorized by the court to do so - I think that's

> the main power the government want to give G4S.

> Which, given their track record, is a very, very

> silly idea.

OK - sounds about right - I'll sign as a quick google of G4S yields some bad stuff