Who may apprehend a principal on a bond (non-LE)?

• A. Any licensed professional
• B. Only those meeting ORC 2927.27 criteria (licensed/contracted and after notifying local law enforcement)
• C. Law enforcement
• D. The principal

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that a bail bond binds the person who is the defendant (the principal) to appear in court and to comply with the bond’s conditions. In a non-law-enforcement context, private individuals don’t have general power to detain or arrest someone merely because they’re on bond. The person who can effectively take action to resolve a breach of the bond without LE involvement is the principal themselves—by deciding to surrender to the court or otherwise comply with the terms. This is why, among the options, the principal is the one who may apprehend a principal on a bond without invoking law enforcement. The other choices rely on statutory authority or roles (licensed professionals or law enforcement) that don’t grant private, non-LE individuals blanket arrest rights in this context.