§507 — Title 19 Customs Duties | U.S. Code

Summary

Customs officers must tell someone they are federal customs officers if asked while they are using their official powers. They can also require anyone to help them make an arrest, search, or seizure when that help is needed. A private person (not a U.S. officer or employee) who helps a customs officer after being asked, and who helps in good faith and acts like a reasonably careful person would, cannot be held responsible for civil damages for giving that help.

Title 19, §507

Customs Duties — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Every customs officer shall—

(1)upon being questioned at the time of executing any of the powers conferred upon him, make known his character as an officer of the Federal Government; and

(2)have the authority to demand the assistance of any person in making any arrest, search, or seizure authorized by any law enforced or administered by customs officers, if such assistance may be necessary.

(b)Any person other than an officer or employee of the United States who renders assistance in good faith upon the request of a customs officer shall not be held liable for any civil damages as a result of the rendering of such assistance if the assisting person acts as an ordinary, reasonably prudent person would have acted under the same or similar circumstances.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification R.S. § 3071 derived from act July 18, 1866, ch. 201, § 10, 14 Stat. 180.

Amendments

1986—Pub. L. 99–570 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows: “Every officer or other person authorized to make searches and seizures by this title, shall, at the time of executing any of the powers conferred upon him, make known, upon being questioned, his character as an officer or agent of the customs or Government, and shall have authority to demand of any person within the distance of three miles to assist him in making any arrests, search, or seizure authorized by this title, where such assistance may be necessary; and if such person shall, without reasonable excuse, neglect or refuse so to assist, upon proper demand, he shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of not more than $200, nor less than $5.”

§507 Officers to Make Character Known; Assistance for Officers

Summary

Title 19, §507

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Citations & Metadata