A false arrest is one way of committing false imprisonment. To prove false arrest, a person must prove three elements.Once you show that you were arrested without a warrant, the officer has to prove that there was probable cause. 8. California Penal Code § 236 PC defines false imprisonment as unlawfully restraining, detaining, or confining a person against his or her will. A peace officer may make a valid arrest without a warrant in certain circumstances other than those set out in this instruction. In this blog, we'll discuss how wrongful arrests happen and explore what you can do if a police officer unlawfully arrested you. Any detention beyond the period within which a warrant could have been obtained rendered the officer liable for false imprisonment. Go to police station, tell them about yourself. (a) The arrest is made without a warrant pursuant to Penal Code § 836 which includes: 1. A misdemeanor committed in the presence of the investigator.