Bounty Hunters

Bounty Hunters are people who make a living out of catching criminals for the bounty on their head. While they are sometimes no better then criminals themselves, they are left alone to hunt criminals so long as they don't break the law while doing so.

The reasons behind a bounty hunter doing their job is often mixed. Some are hunting down criminals just for money, others to bring them to justice their way and some for fame. Regardless, all criminals caught are handed into the Marines dead or alive.

The most famous bounty hunter featured in One Piece is Zoro, who really didn't want to do it, but needed the money.

Marines
Marines have been known to occasionally head out onto the streets of a town and perform bounty hunting duties. Only higher ranked Marines usually do this, and it is different from the Marines, as a whole, legal duties. Smoker has a habit of doing this, even when set out to sea he managed to get involved in the Baroque Works investigation after capturing Mr. 11 out at sea.