What Leads to Vigilantism?

[The Xl]

Vigilantism gets a bad rap. Evil and corrupt governments are a much bigger issue.

[Chris]

According to some legal experts, it does.

Again you rely on other people's thinking without crediting their work. Name your experts and cite sources.

[Chris]

As is implied in the title "law enforcement officer", they are empowered to enforce laws. There are laws that prohibit crimes like theft and arson, so if they see a crime in progress, they must enforce the law.

In most US states the owner or possessor of real property may use reasonable force to protect their own property or that of a relative, master, servant or ward from immediate harm. If a person has absolutely no connection to the property, they may not legally protect that property (unless they are the employee of a licensed security firm or a LEO). Neither can someone who has a lawful right to protect that property use lethal force to prevent the destruction of that property. Castle doctrine or similar legal exceptions, only apply to a person's personal home. The use of lethal force is only permitted where human life is in peril and this applies to citizens and law enforcement alike. Therefore your concerned citizens with rifles standing guard over properties, prepared to shoot anyone committing acts of destruction are acting outside of the law and are further likely to be charged with a capital crime if they shoot anyone to prevent them from damaging property.

Only Wisconsin law applies.

Protecting property is not acting as law enforcement.

[Cletus]

So, the police seeing someone committing an arson are not empowered to stop that crime?

Their job is to enforce the law, not babysit private property. If they see a crime in progress, of course they are empowered to act, but that is not the same as providing security at a facility to make sure no crime occurs.