Citizen’s Arrest Law
"Georgia’s citizen’s arrest law was outdated and had historically allowed slave patrols and lynch mobs to take the law into their own hands. It permitted people to weaponize their own racial biases and deprive innocent Georgians of their most basic liberties – freedom and life, which we saw with the senseless and horrific murder of Ahmaud Arbery.
We must dismantle and revise laws that contribute to systematic racism and that are overall harmful and unnecessary. For these reasons, the ACLU of Georgia recommended revising Georgia’s citizen’s arrest law to bring it in line with the constitutional promise of ‘We the people’ so that it truly means all people.”
Christopher Bruce Political Director of the ACLU of Georgia
Georgia’s 250 year old citizen’s arrest law, enacted shortly after Georgia seceded from the Union, had allowed private persons to make arrests to preserve slavery during the Civil War. The ACLU of Georgia worked diligently to repeal of this antiquated, racist, and dangerous citizen’s arrest law in Georgia which finally happened in 2021.
Policy/Advocacy
In the News

Bipartisan push to reform or repeal state citizen’s arrest law expected
Lawmakers ‘close to consensus’ on changes to citizen’s arrest law
Citizen’s arrest law, unfinished police reforms await 2021 Ga. Legislature
Senate panel squashes bill that opponents say targeted protesters
American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia responds to shooting death of unarmed man in Brunswick
Press
Press Advisory: ACLU of Georgia Political Director to Testify on Citizen’s Arrest Law
(3/4/21) Prepared Remarks on Citizen’s Arrest Hearing – Christopher Bruce
Press Release: A Better Glynn and the 2:23 Foundation celebrate Georgia law overhaul; encourage Glynn County to adopt Citizens Review process