A false arrest is one way of committing false imprisonment. A person or business can be liable for false arrest or civil rights violation even when they are not acting under color of state law.False imprisonment occurs when one person unlawfully restricts another's freedom of movement. False imprisonment occurs when you unlawfully deprive another person of his or her personal liberty. False arrest requires an arrest, but, false imprisonment only requires unlawful detention. False arrest is the unlawful violation of the personal liberty of another consisting of detention without sufficient legal authority. California Penal Code § 236 PC defines false imprisonment as unlawfully restraining, detaining, or confining a person against his or her will. A false arrest is also a form of wrongful imprisonment. California Penal Code § 236 PC defines false imprisonment as unlawfully restraining, detaining, or confining a person against his or her will. False arrest becomes false imprisonment the moment the victim is taken into custody.