You’re sitting at a table on the sidewalk out front of a cafe, sipping coffee, facing the street. The cafe is right in the middle of a city block. It’s early Sunday morning and there’s nobody else out except you, as far as you can see.
As you lift up your coffee cup to take a sip, suddenly a police car skids to a stop at the intersection to your left and an average looking man in jeans and a wife beater (“the perp”) comes running around the corner toward you. The perp has a purse in one hand and nothing in the other; you do not see any weapons on him, but of course there’s no way to be sure what’s in his pockets or stuck in his belt. The cop jumps out of his car, yells “STOP!” and gives chase, but running around the front of his cruiser has given the perp a considerable lead. The perp is just about to pass, just inches in front of you.
I voted for a shove, but I’m not sure what I’d do IRL. I saw something like this on COPS once. It was after a car chase, and the perp had bailed and was running; the cameras caught the action as a bystander stuck a leg out and tripped the perp, bringing him down like a ton of bricks (with the cop landing on top of him immediately afterwards).
Not getting involved. And I think in this situation, the LEO may not want me involved either - just a guess on my part.
If I attempt to assault, detain, or otherwise subdue the individual, he may try to take me hostage or assault me. And I’m probably just getting in the way of the LEO. If I’m “hands on” then his options are limited - I could get sprayed/tazed/shot…
In addition, the alleged purse snatcher may have a civil claim against me for assault.
If someone is simply fleeing, I stay out of it. If someone is in danger… maybe then I may do something to assist, but that’s still really iffy.
If I can stick out a leg and trip him, or toss a cup of coffee in his face, I might - but otherwise I stay out of this scenario.
A few years ago, I walked into a Macy’s to see a shoplifting suspect struggling on the floor with a security person who seemed to have a slight upper hand. I thought about pitching in to help, but decided against it for legal and health reasons (I don’t need to throw my back out again, to help apprehend someone over a pair of pilfered jeans).
If I can trip him without it looking obvious, then that’s what I’d do. Not to help the police any, but as punishment for wearing a wife-beater in public.
I am not a law enforcement professional, and am therefore ignorant of proper protocol in such a situation. When in doubt, I step back and allow the professionals to perform thier duties as they have been trained to.
By the time my brain processes everything he’ll probably have run by, but if I do think of it fast enough, sure I’ll try to help. Why not? Maybe I’ll get my fifteen minutes of fame.
Having never tripped someone, I assume making some big dude go from whatever speed to zero by sticking part of my body in front of him is bound to transfer a whole lot of that force to my body part.
I don’t think I’m willing to risk getting torn ligaments or a broken bone over some purse-snatcher who’s got a cop hot on his heels already. (Maybe I’d foolishly do it reflexively, though, and curse my stupidity later.)
I might try to push something else (chair, table) in his path, though.
As a slightly out of shape 46 year old LEO I can tell you I would appreciate the help. As a witness I would give a nice shove, identify myself to the officer, then help as much as I could.
Of course I help the police. They’re not all corrupt bastards. I stick my foot out, then sit on the apparent perp until the officer can control the situation.