False arrest is defined as the unlawful restraint of a person's freedom of movement. False arrest can be considered an intentional tort, which means it is a noncriminal civil violation that the person did on purpose.False imprisonment is the unlawful confinement of a person without his or her valid consent. A wrongful arrest happens when someone is detained or arrested and the detainer has not followed the proper legal channels or did not have probable cause. In that case, one individual holds another against their will or takes them into custody without consent or legal authority to do so. From the legal perspective, wrongful arrest refers to the unlawful restraint of a person's freedom of movement. False arrests come in different shades of illegality. Though mitigation of damages is an affirmative defense, see Instruction ), it is rarely a complete defense. Police officers, however, are generally immune to false arrest claims:. See also: qualified immunity.