Have you ever seen anyone being arrested on a train?

[swt class 450]

Depends what you mean by "arrested". I have detained people on trains many times under what might broadly be termed 'citizen's arrest', owing to illegal activities (smoking, busking, begging, etc.) or threatening behaviour.

Do you work for the Police? If not that is an extremely risky and foolish thing to do in my opinion! I think about 99% of the time if you try to do that the person is likely to try and fight or attack you and you are likely to get hurt or injured. Its best to ignore these sort of things or let staff deal with them.

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

I would have thought that use of the "confined space" would make it less likely that the miscreant would be able to escape before the cuffs were on?

So what is the reasoning here?

Some people react to the attempted use of handcuffs by thrashing out to try and evade the arrest. This behaviour can lead to them injuring themselves, particularly if the struggle is ended by having to bring them down to the ground, but any blame for such injury will tend to be laid on the arresting officer. Avoiding enclosed spaces mitigates this risk to an extent.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Such "joys to watch" are better not witnessed!

True enough, though he was very drunk and he did genuinely miss the step. And not see the stone pillar.

Not that I saw anything

 

[BanburyBlue]

Saw it once on the London Underground. I was on a Bakerloo train to Marylebone. As the train came in to Oxford Circus, it came to a halt with doors remaining closed. An announcement came over the tannoy saying there was a door fault, which would be rectified as soon as possible. We remained inside the train for 5 minutes until 2 policemen came to the next carriage, and arrested some bloke. No idea what for or how serious.

Being someone who is mildly claustrophobic, I wasn't best impressed to be locked in an underground train until the police turned up. And of course delay to the journey. I'm assuming they wouldn't have done this for something minor. Not sure if ruse of 'door fault' is standard practice?

 

[DarloRich]

True enough, though he was very drunk and he did genuinely miss the step. And not see the stone pillar.

Not that I saw anything

Yes your honour I saw the defendant consume large amounts of alcohol during the journey and when the police kindly tried to help him off the train he slipped and fell, several times, injuring his face quite badly.

 

[Busaholic]

Not sure if ruse of 'door fault' is standard practice?

No point in panicking the passengers unnecessarily - also it might give a false sense of security to the 'miscreant', if indeed he was. Almost 'it's a fair cop, guv' when the doors opened.

 

[Tooktook]

Whilst I didn't see an arrest today on a train I somewhat expected it.

I was on the 2239 sw trains departure from Waterloo to Southampton. On the train a very drunk male projectile vomited over a young married couple. There was a lot of shouting and a very angry and upset partner.

The whole incident was bizarre, and resulted in most of that coach moving further forward. However having thought of it I'm not sure the police would make an arrest. It wasn't a deliberate assault but maybe the guy was drunk and incapable?

I got off the train so didn't see if the police did attend. But a bizarre incident none the less.

 

[muz379]

I would have thought that use of the "confined space" would make it less likely that the miscreant would be able to escape before the cuffs were on?

So what is the reasoning here?

I suspect if someone does try and resist arrest it is probably easier in a more open environment like a platform if someone needs taking to the ground to be restrained properly and by more than one officer .

A confined space also restricts what PPE a police officer can put to use if the suspect tries to violently resist being arrested . Swinging a baton in a confined space like a train full of members of the public might be tricky and seats are going to get in the way of striking legs or lower arms of a standing suspect . Again if someone resists and the officer is alone or there are not sufficient numbers to be confident of physically restraining a stronger suspect Its also not advisable to use an incapacitant spray in a confined environment like a train with members of the public all around . And in the worst case if it becomes necessary to consider deploying a tazer a confined space also makes this risky .

Plus if the police themselves have witnessed enough and dont need any statements from anyone on the train then this lets the train continue whilst they deal with the offender .