Security guard-turned-GOP-candidate arrests a black man for 'loitering' — at his own apartment complex

A reserve police officer in Indianapolis arrested a black man for loitering at his own apartment complex — and likely misidentified state law in the process.

Indianapolis' RTV6 reported that "courtesy officer" James Reynolds approached Jaquon Dean in the apartment complex he patrols daily and asked him for ID. The tenant, who was sitting in his car in the parking lot, refused to show it.

"He’s there every day so he knows I live there," Dean said.

The two went back-and-forth after the security officer accused the tenant of "loitering" in his car.

Soon after, two assisting officers from the Southport Police Department showed up, causing the incident to turn "physical," RTV reported. After the ensuing fight, the tenant said he has nerve damage and has lost feeling in one of his hands.

Though the Southport officers are employed by the police department, Reynolds was not in the complex in his capacity as a reserve officer in the town of Sheridan, Indiana. Instead, he was there with his company, Reynolds Security Consulting Corp. RTV noted that Reynolds is also a Republican candidate for Hendricks County Council.

Southport police arrested Dean on charges of resisting arrest and refusing to identify.

"Under Indiana law, when an officer believes you’ve committed a crime and you refuse to show ID, you’re committing another crime," RTV reported.

The tenant was not arrested under state loitering laws, though Reynolds sarcastically told him to "Google" the definition of the term.

As The Root's Michael Harriot noted, the state loitering statute stipulates that it must take place in a public "way, street, highway, place or alley" — not in a private parking lot.

You can watch video of the arrest below: