Terms Used In Alabama Code 36-21-20

  • Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
  • Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
  • person: includes a corporation as well as a natural person. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • property: includes both real and personal property. See Alabama Code 1-1-1
  • Prosecute: To charge someone with a crime. A prosecutor tries a criminal case on behalf of the government.
  • state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Alabama Code 1-1-1

Whenever it shall be made to appear to the satisfaction of the Governor that there has occurred or there is reasonable cause to apprehend at any place within the state the outbreak of any riot, rout, tumult, insurrection, mob or combination to oppose the enforcement of the laws or to break the peace by force or violence which cannot be speedily suppressed or effectually prevented by the ordinary posse comitatus and peace officers or there shall be an assemblage of persons over 10 in number with intent to commit a felony or to offer violence to person or property or with intent to oppose or resist by force or violence the execution of the laws of the state or any lawful process of any court or officer thereof or the due execution of any legal ordinance or bylaw of any municipal corporation and that there is not present at the locality a sufficient force of peace officers to preserve the peace and to enforce the laws, the Governor may call to his aid and to the aid of the local peace authorities such number of police, patrolmen or police officers of any town or city as he may deem necessary and order them to the locality where needed to preserve the peace and arrest and prosecute according to law any person violating the laws of the state.