In New York, a private person or a police officer commits the tort of false imprisonment or false arrest when they detain someone without legal authority. False imprisonment occurs when someone holds another person against that person's will.Learn about this criminal offense here. Wrongful imprisonment is an unlawful restraint of an individual and can cause psychological and physical damages. In New York, the tort of False Imprisonment is sometimes called False Arrest as well. The criteria are the same, namely: False imprisonment occurs when a person intentionally and illegally restrains another person's ability to move freely. A lawsuit against the State of New York may only be filed in the Court of Claims. Assault: Putting someone in apprehensive of immediate physical harm. R.R. Co., 69 N.Y. 158), then certainly false imprisonment invites escape.