What constitutes false arrest?

False arrest occurs when an individual is unlawfully detained or confined by another person. This concept hinges on the legal principle that a person cannot be arrested or held against their will without the proper legal authority or justification. Unlawfully detaining someone at the time of their arrest directly defines this violation. It indicates a situation where law enforcement or security personnel do not have the requisite legal basis, such as probable cause, and therefore their actions infringe on the individual's rights.

In contrast, the other options involve concepts that do not fully encapsulate the definition of false arrest. Detaining someone with probable cause is legal and cannot be categorized as false arrest. Physically harming someone during an arrest pertains to excessive force and may involve different legal implications, but it does not define false arrest unless the detention itself is also unlawful. Making threats of arrest without following through does not constitute arrest, false or otherwise, since no actual detention takes place. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for recognizing lawful versus unlawful conduct in security and law enforcement situations.