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Security Law and Powers Course (UK): Lessons 2026

These lessons explain the legal limits of security work in the UK. They cover citizen's arrest in England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, reasonable force, weapons, trespass and searching. They are general information, not legal advice; always follow your assignment instructions. Front line security work needs an SIA licence and licence-linked training; these lessons are background knowledge only.

  • Kurslektionen
  • 6 Min. Lesezeit
  • Geprüft am 13. Oktober 2026

Kurstest starten

Lesson 2: Citizen's arrest in England and Wales

Section 24A of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (PACE) gives a power of arrest without a warrant to anyone who is not a constable. It only covers indictable offences. Under the Interpretation Act 1978, an indictable offence means one that is indictable only or triable either way. It does not cover summary-only offences.

Who you may arrest

  • Anyone who is in the act of committing an indictable offence, or whom you have reasonable grounds to suspect is doing so
  • Where an indictable offence has been committed, anyone who is guilty of it, or whom you have reasonable grounds to suspect is guilty

Two extra conditions

You may only arrest if both of these apply:

  1. You have reasonable grounds to believe arrest is necessary to stop the person: causing physical injury to themselves or anyone else; suffering physical injury; causing loss of or damage to property; or making off before a constable can take responsibility for them.
  2. It appears that it is not reasonably practicable for a constable to make the arrest instead.

After the arrest

Section 28 of PACE says an arrest is not lawful unless the person is told that they are under arrest and the reason, at the time or as soon as practicable. Then:

  • Call the police straight away and hand the person over as soon as possible.
  • Keep the person safe. You are responsible for their welfare while you hold them.
  • Write down what happened, what you saw and what was said, as soon as you can.

Lesson 3: Scotland and Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland: Article 26A of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 gives people other than constables a power of arrest. It works like section 24A: indictable offences only, a necessary reason from the same list, and no constable reasonably able to do it instead.

Scotland: PACE does not apply. The statutory arrest powers in the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2016 are for constables. Private citizens have only limited common law powers of arrest. Citizens Advice Scotland says they should be used with great care:

  • The crime should be more serious than a breach of the peace.
  • You should be sure a crime happened, for example because you saw it or were the victim.
  • Reasonable force may be used if the person resists.
  • The person must be handed to the police as soon as possible.
  • A wrongful arrest can lead to a claim for compensation.
NationMain source of citizen's arrest power
England and WalesPACE 1984, section 24A
NordirlandPACE (NI) Order 1989, Article 26A
SchottlandCommon law (limited)

Lesson 4: Reasonable force and weapons

Section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 (England and Wales) says a person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances to prevent crime or to make or help a lawful arrest. Northern Ireland has the same rule in section 3 of the Criminal Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1967. In Scotland, force used during a citizen's arrest must also be reasonable.

How courts judge force

Section 76 of the Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008 explains how reasonable force is judged in England and Wales:

  • Force is judged on the facts as you genuinely believed them to be, even if you were mistaken.
  • You cannot rely on a mistake caused by drink or drugs you chose to take.
  • Force that was disproportionate is not reasonable. (A wider rule for householders defending their home does not cover normal security work.)
  • There is no duty to retreat, but a chance to retreat is one factor the court looks at.
  • The law accepts that in an emergency you may not be able to judge the exact amount of force needed. Honest, instinctive action is strong evidence that it was reasonable.
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Courts look at the whole situation when they judge force.

  1. The threat: what you faced, any weapon, and the people involved.
  2. Necessity: whether force was needed at that moment.
  3. Proportionality: whether the force matched the threat.
  4. Other options: whether you could have stepped back, kept talking or waited for police.
  5. Aftermath: stop as soon as the need ends, give first aid and report.

Never carry a weapon

Section 1 of the Prevention of Crime Act 1953 (England and Wales) makes it an offence to have an offensive weapon in a public place without lawful authority or reasonable excuse. An offensive weapon includes anything made or adapted to injure someone. An SIA licence is not lawful authority to carry one.

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