ESL Podcast 857 - Being Arrested by the Police

to mind (one's) own business - to pay attention to one's own affairs, not becoming involved in the situation or interacting with other people, not trying to get attention from others

The actress was trying to mind her own business, having a picnic at the park, when all of a sudden she was surrounding by journalists and photographers.

police officer - a person whose job is to protect and defend people and property and make sure everyone is obeying the law

Have you ever been stopped by a police officer for speeding?

to arrest - to take someone into custody; for a police officer to take someone to a police station because that person is believed to have broken the law

Have the police arrested any suspects in the bank robbery?

to handcuff - to put two connected circles of metal around a person's wrists behind his or her back, so that the hands cannot be moved until a key is used to open the metal circles

When Marshall was handcuffed, it left red marks on his wrists.

Miranda warning - a statement that police officers must make to people when they are arrested, letting them know of their rights

Kristy has seen so many police shows on TV that she can recite the Miranda warning.

probable cause - reasonable grounds; justification for doing something, especially for arresting someone or for searching through a home or office

The court stated that there was probable cause for searching the computer files.

suspect - a person who may have performed a crime; a person who is thought to have broken the law, although it has not yet been proved

At this point, the police is still investigating and everyone is still a suspect.

robbery - the crime of taking something without permission, especially money or valuable goods

Do they know who was responsible for the bank robbery?

innocent - not guilty; not having broken the law; not having done what one was accused of

This man has been in jail for 17 years, but he still says he is innocent.

police station - the building where police officers work, often connected to a jail

Blake wanted to become a police officer so he could catch criminals, not sit at a desk in the police station, filling out paperwork all day.

jail cell - a small room in a jail or prison, designed to hold one or a few criminals at a time

The jail cell was small and had only a bed, a small table, and a toilet.

to interrogate - to ask someone many questions in an aggressive, demanding and possibly angry way

The reporters were interrogating the senator, trying to understand why she had changed her vote.

to release - to let someone go; to allow someone to move freely after he or she has been arrested or held in custody

All the suspects were released as soon as the actual murderer confessed.

mistaken identity - the situation when someone is confused with another person, especially when that person was believed to have broken the law; when someone is mistakenly thought to be someone else

Ulysses was so excited, because he thought he saw his favorite rock star, but it turned out that it was a case of mistaken identity.

false arrest - a situation where someone is arrested and held in custody without legal justification and/or without legal permission

If the police officers don't follow the proper procedures before arresting a suspect, the department might be accused of false arrest.

to put (something) behind (oneself) - to act as if one has forgotten about something and try to live one's life normally, without continuing to be affected by the past event

Kazushi is trying to put his divorce behind him and start dating again.