How to Make a Proper Arrest

Most people do not know how a proper arrest is made by police, and I too am one of those people. This week I based my research around how (by law) a police officer is to properly make an arrest. There are 5 key fundamentals that are involved:


Immobilize: First you must stop all of the person's movements. Whether this is done through verbal commands, forceful options such as TASERs or OC, or by some other means. You can't move onto the next step, Control, without first stopping the person from making any movements.

A police officer arresting a suspect.

Control: An officer must gain control of the person(s) and situation before handcuffing someone. Tasers and OC spray help if the situation becomes too unruly.


Handcuffing: Handcuff everyone, no matter what the suspect's size, gender, or shape. When handcuffing a suspect police officers will always do it behind his or hers back. Handcuffing someone in front gives the suspect too much mobility, allowing him or her too much freedom of movement, giving them the opportunity of being able to reach a concealed firearm or other weapon. When handcuffing someone behind their back, be sure to place the backs of their hands together. This will prevent some of the more flexible suspects from being able to slip the handcuffs from around their backs under their legs. Handcuffed suspects are responsible for stealing more than 100 police vehicles each year and fleeing.


Search: A police officer must always conduct a proper search of the person being handcuffed. Cuff first, then search. Never search first, and then handcuff. You have to have the mindset that everyone, no matter the person's size, race, gender, or age, poses a possible threat.


Transport: Never let your guard down until the transport to the police station is complete, and the person has been turned over to someone else or incarcerated. When doing a transport, we have a tendency to let our guard down the closer we get to our destination. The opposite is true of the suspect in the backseat. The closer we get to the facility, the higher his or her stress and anxiety level becomes. Often the end of the transport is one of the most dangerous times because the bad guy knows that's the end of the road.








"What Procedures Must the Police Follow While Making an Arrest? - FindLaw." Findlaw. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.