Arresting People: Agent of The State

Back when I went through the police academy I was fascinated by the idea of arresting someone. Even today I don't think that's such a bad thing. That interest probably sounds worse than it was. I mentioned it to a defensive tactics instructor at the academy once. He didn't get it.

Stan Schmidt is now retired for Arcata P.D. While in class once I mentioned to him I'd like to make an arrest. He replied that I could ride along with him and he'd let me put the cuffs on someone. I told him that wasn't what I was referring to and that it was more the whole thing of actually arresting someone and the power involved, as opposed to the mere physical act of putting restraints on someone. 

He looked at me kind of puzzled, as if that notion was kind of weird. I thought that rather odd of him as he was one who mentioned earlier that to be a police officer you have to, as best I remember, not mind "exerting power over people". He might have even said "enjoyed exerting power...". Don't get me wrong. Schmidt was a top notch guy.

Maybe it was weird, but I still find it intriguing, although not as much anymore. The whole idea of being a Agent of The State and having that the authority to interfere with someone's freedom. Seems weird, but I thought about it a lot back then. I don't know I really wanted that authority. I just wanted to know what it felt like.

I ended up kind of arresting some kids some years later, although I was never really happy referring to those as arrests, with maybe one exception. It was when I worked at Juvenile Hall. As peace officers we could "arrest" people. I don't remember the names and faces but of two of them, and only one of those did I think could really be called an arrest.

I suppose it depends on your definition of arrest. I've always thought of arresting someone as taking them into custody and depriving them of their freedom of movement, at least for a short time. But, in juvenile hall they're already in custody and being detained. Didn't make sense to me that we'd be arresting someone that was already in custody.

I brought that up to other staff but they would have none of it. Not that big a deal, I suppose. Just a matter of definition. Still, I should think in a custodial setting we should have used "charged" rather than arrest- "I'm charging you with vandalism". I'm sure some would argue it's the district attorney that actually charges someone.

I recall arresting eight people during my time there, although I can't remember the names or circumstances of but two of them. One was a kid that acted out and tore his mattress to shreds. I told him he was under arrest for vandalism and filled out an arrest report. He didn't care. They rarely do. I didn't feel that State power with that one, with perhaps the exception of filling out the arrest report.

The other one I felt a little better about. There was a memo out that if a certain kid was found by law enforcement, he was to be admitted to juvenile hall. That night Rio Dell P.D. caught him, called up and said they were on their way.

When he showed up, I asked if the officer had actually arrested the kid. The officer said he hadn't, but simply followed instructions to bring the kid to the hall. At that point I told the kid he was under arrest for violation of probation, or whatever it was he was wanted for. He didn't care.

That was on graveyard shift. My next shift during the day I bumped into the Superintendent and asked him if I was supposed to have arrested that kid. He said I certainly was and that it was a good call on my part. That made me feel good, but I still didn't feel as if I arrested him, at least in the way that I felt I could really call an arrest.

Oh, well. Never got to feel that Agent of the State power, at least in arresting someone, and lost interest in it many years ago. Still kinda fun to think back, though.