Arrests and Criminal Complaints

An arrest is the power and authority of a police officer to apprehend and deprive persons of their liberty, as provided by law, in order that such persons may be brought before the court to answer to criminal charges.

DUPD Officers are sight officers; they do not have the authority to prepare any affidavits or complaints to obtain an arrest warrant for an offense. This action, through the University’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD), is done only through an investigation by a PPD detective or DUPD detective with the assistance of the PPD.

Per the MOU, DUPD officers can make an arrest in the following circumstances:

• for any felony crime, without a warrant, that they witness being committed in their presence;
• for a felony with probable cause that is not committed in their presence;
• for a felony or misdemeanor that was previously committed if the officer has knowledge that an outstanding arrest warrant was issued for the offender for that specific incident;
• for a misdemeanor crime if it is committed in their presence; and
• for a summary crime with the issuance of a summary citation for a minor offense committed in their presence.