So, did she make contact with you at all? I know she swung at you, but >> you know, she tried to punch you. >> Did you hit the gate, agent? >> Do you know where you're at right now? >> Yeah, I'm trying. >> Do not kick me again. >> I'm driving me. Why are we going to airport for >> On a busy day at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, Officer Lambert of the DFW airport police responds to a disturbance at an American Airlines gate. A passenger headed to Mobile, Alabama, has just swung at a gate agent. The subject, identified as Laura, sits slumped in the gate area. Lambert approaches calmly. No raised voice, no drawn weapon. Under Illinois versus Gates, every observation now feeds the totality of circumstances probable cause analysis. >> Hey, hold on just a second. Hold on. >> What's going on? >> Hey, >> what's going on? >> Huh? Can you talk to me? Can you talk to me? >> What's going on? >> Huh? >> I don't know where I'm going. >> What's going on? >> It's in Mobile. >> Huh? >> I was supposed to go to Mobile, Alabama. >> Okay. Mobile, Alabama. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, why didn't you go to Mobile? Bro, it's like leaving in a minute. >> You go in panic. >> A minute. It's leaving. >> Okay. >> It's leaving. >> It's leaving in a minute. >> Okay. Hey, let me Hey, answer my question. Have you had something to drink today? Alcoholic beverages? >> Where at? >> Just in the bar. >> This bar right over here? >> Yeah. >> How many did you have? >> Two. >> You had two drinks? >> Yeah. >> What kind? Remember >> um I had two whiskey sour >> whiskey sours? >> Yeah, >> just two. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Have you got your driver's license? >> Did you see what happened? [laughter] >> You have your driver's license? >> Yeah. Oh my. >> Huh? >> Look in your wallet. [laughter] Okay. >> Well, look in your wallet. It's I mean, it's got to be in your bag somewhere. >> Look. Look. >> Is that your wallet right there? >> Yeah. >> My license. >> Yeah. Your driver's license. >> Oh. Let me see. >> Okay. Your wallet's right there. >> It's in her purse. I just put her license in her purse. >> In her purse? Her purse? Yes. >> Look in your purse. >> No. No. It's a It's a black purse. >> There's a black purse. >> Yeah, it's in there. >> Look in there. Get her. I know her license is in there. I'm just >> in. It's in there. I just put it in there. It's in your purse. >> Let Let her get it. >> She said go ahead and look. >> No. >> Okay. >> We got to do it for for our show. >> Okay. Can you look for it for me? >> Look in your purse. It's in there. >> Okay. Okay. I need you to get your driver's license out. >> Oh, >> yeah. I'm not going to go in the back cuz we don't have we don't have authority. >> It's right there. >> No, we can't. So, look at the rest of >> I don't know where my license is. >> Look in your Look in your purse. That's where it's at. >> See it right there? >> See it right there? >> Yeah. >> Yeah. Grab it. See it? Just flip it around in there. >> Right there. You got your hand on it. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. Can you get your boarding pass for me? Your boarding pass is in that right there. Can you find that? >> Okay. Thank you. All right. >> So, why are we why are we striking the the gate agent over here? >> Why are we trying to punch? >> No, I don't. >> Did you hit the gate agent? >> No, I didn't. >> Huh? >> I didn't hit him. >> You didn't touch him? >> No. I was scared. >> Huh? >> I scared. >> Can you tell me again how many drinks you had? >> I had four. >> Huh? >> You had four? >> Yeah. >> Okay. Before it was two, now it's four. You remember? >> Yeah. It's been three or four. >> It's been three or four. Okay. >> Have you had anything to eat today? >> No. >> Okay. Have you taken any medication? No medication. Okay. On a scale from zero would be not being intoxicated at all to 10 being the most intoxicated have you ever been? Where do you think you are? >> Probably six. >> Five or six. >> Five or six. Okay. All right. >> Did she make contact with you at all? I know she swung at you, but >> you know, >> she never like made contact. She just swung at you. >> She was just upset doing this, but I I moved away. >> Yeah. She didn't like give you a mic and hey man or anything like that. >> Hey, how much did she came down that way? >> Okay. >> Do you have your receipt for your drinks? >> Where you bought your drinks? >> No, I don't think I do. >> You don't? Did you pay for everything? >> No, they didn't give me a receipt. >> Yeah, >> they didn't give you a receipt or anything. Yeah, >> that's Macy's. Macy's doesn't have anything to do with it. >> What? You know what bar you drink at? >> I see the lights. So, they should be >> swung at him a couple times. >> Swung at him. She didn't make She didn't make contact either. smelling pretty heavy. [clears throat] >> Who you talking with? >> I saw >> Can I talk with you? >> Yeah. >> Hello. >> Hello. >> Is he up here with you? >> Yeah, he's hit me up. >> Hello. >> Do you know where you're at right now? >> Yeah, I'm in Detroit. >> You're in Detroit? >> Detroit? >> You're You're close. You're only about halfway across the country right now. >> Patrick, >> you're in Dallas. >> I'm in Dallas. >> Yeah, that's a little bit far away from Detroit. >> So, I tell you, your son's not here then. >> He's going to be here. >> He's going to be here. >> He in Mobile. >> He'll be in Mobile. Where are you flying to? >> Mobile. >> Mobile. >> So, she was having a panic attack. She's been drinking. We're just recovering. Y'all check her out, make sure she's okay. And um and we'll probably take her. >> Okay. Is it okay if we take your vitals? >> Yeah. >> Is that all right? >> Yeah. >> So he's just he does what you guys do. >> Patrick, he's a firefighter. >> Is this Patrick? >> Hey. So this off right there in DFW airport police department. We are out with I'm guessing it's your mother right now. Laura Samuel, >> she is uh severely intoxicated. >> Did try to uh American gate attendant a couple times. So, I'm just going to kind of be blunt with you. She's probably going to be coming with us for public intoxication. So, she's going to be going to jail for a little bit until she sells it. >> That is correct. >> What? pretty much until she sovers up and we deem her that she's all right to take care of herself. And it's basically on the same line as a speeding ticket, but the reason that she's going in handcuffs is uh cuz she's got to be under watching care so she doesn't harm herself or anyone else. Yeah, it's going to be around like a $300 ticket essentially, but like I said, she's got to go in handcuffs cuz uh just based off of her action, she's not okay to be by herself right now. Hey Laura, can you stand up for me? You need some help? >> Appreciate it. >> Here go ahead and turn around for you're being a placed under arrest for public intoxication. Okay. Okay. All right. Come on. Stand up for me. >> Come on. I got the other room. >> Stand up. >> All right. Back up. >> Oh my god. [crying] Oh my god. Oh my god. >> Get back so you don't fall out. >> Stop. Stop. >> Hey. Relax. Relax. Okay. >> If you kick one of us, you're going to be going to jail for a while longer. Okay. >> I don't. >> Well, don't don't try to kick. >> All right. I need you to sit up in the chair. [laughter] Okay. Come on. >> I need so bad. [screaming] >> Come on. [screaming] >> The pain is so bad. >> [screaming] >> Stop. >> Here. Let's get the seat belt on. >> Listen. Don't kick us. >> Come on. Come on. >> Sit up. >> Come on, Laura. Sit up. Sit down. >> [screaming] [crying] >> Stand up. >> Can you start acting? [screaming] >> Can you start acting right? >> You got to knock. >> You think this is all right? >> We got to move little by little. Sitting here is not going to help. >> You got it. You get the bag. [crying] Oh my god. [clears throat] [screaming] Laura's speech is slurred. She insists her flight leaves in a minute. The flight has already departed. Temporal disorientation alone is not arrestworthy, but it is a recognized field indicator of significant alcohol intoxication. Lambert asks how many drinks she had. Laura answers, "Two whiskey sour." Under Burkimer versus McCarti, "This pre-arrest field questioning is non-custodial and does not require Miranda warnings, even when the answers may incriminate." A companion offers to retrieve Laura's license from her purse. Lambert refuses, saying, "I'm not going to go in her bag. We don't have authority." A purse is a closed container under the Fourth Amendment. No consent, no warrant, no search. Asked again about drinks, Laura now says four, then three or four. Inconsistent answers about alcohol are textbook evidence of impairment and consciousness of guilt. Lambert does not argue. He lets the contradictions stand on record. Lambert asks Laura to rate her intoxication 0 to 10. She answers five or six. A subject's own admission combined with no food and prior aggression satisfies Texas Penal Code 4902, public intoxication by definition. The decisive moment arrives. Lambert asks where she is. Laura answers Detroit. She is standing inside DFW, roughly 1,000 mi away. Spatial disorientation of this magnitude removes any reasonable doubt about self-endangerment. Before arrest, Lambert phones Laura's son, Patrick, a firefighter, and explains everything plainly. He clarifies public intoxication is a class C misdemeanor, a fine, not jail time. This courtesy call is not required, but it is professional. Arrest is announced cleanly. You are being placed under arrest for public intoxication. No takedown, no strike, no ground stabilization. Just verbal commands and minimal hands-on control. This is the lowest end of the use of force continuum. Inside the patrol vehicle, Laura begins kicking. Lambert warns her clearly. Kick an officer and additional charges follow. Under Texas Penal Code 3803, resisting arrest is a class A misdemeanor, up to one year in county jail. Laura cries that the handcuffs are torturing her. The officers do not dismiss her. They check the cuffs and engage verbally. Department procedures nationwide require officers to evaluate handcuff complaints, even from intoxicated subjects. Laura then says, "Just kill me. You've already killed me." Statements suggesting self harm during arrest trigger a documentation duty. Booking intake conducts mental health screening, protecting the agency from section 1983 liability. Before transport, Lambert performs a crossgender patdown using the back of his hand and confirms two cameras are recording. Verbal announcement multi- camera proof back of hand technique. This is the gold standard for protecting everyone. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. [crying and screaming] I got to get yours off. Oh my god. >> Oh my god. My Oh my god, my hands. Oh my god. My >> be sit still. Oh my god. Oh my god. Laura, you do not go. >> You're going to catch an extra charge. You understand? >> Do not kick me again. >> You are touching me. You are touching me. You're touching me. Oh my god, my ass. Oh my god, my [ __ ] ass. Oh my god, my [ __ ] ass torturing me. [crying] >> Settle down, Laura. >> You're torturing me. You're torturing me. Nobody's torching you. >> My hands are killing me. My hands are killing me. Oh my god, my hands are killing me. Oh my god. Your hand and stop with your hand. >> Let's see your hand. Lean up. Sit. Sit down. Your hand. >> Okay. What's wrong with your hand? Tight. And get a finger in the cup. I need you to sit back. You're killing me. [screaming] >> [screaming] >> Oh my god, my hands. >> Oh my god, my hands are killing me. Oh my god. I'll kill myself. Do >> not just kill me, mother. Just kill me, mother. >> Just kill me cuz you've already killed me. >> Kill me. You already killed me. You already killed me. Do not kick. >> Stop. You >> Hey, you're you're a resistance charge. You understand? [screaming] >> You give me a resistance charge. This is hurt. Oh my god. Let me go. >> We will here just a second. >> Let me go. This hurts. This hurts. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. This is my Oh my god. You Stand up. >> Charging. >> There's the charge. >> That's the charge. >> Stand up. >> No. I'm not charging. I'm not going nowhere. >> Stand up. >> No. >> Get your foot. You're going to stand up or we're going to help you stand up. Make >> stand to help me stand up, mother. Okay. >> Okay. Stand up for me. Okay. You have anything in your bra area? >> No. >> Okay. I'm going to use the back of my hand. You see this? >> See the back of my hand? I'm going to use this brush up and down. Okay. I got a camera. He's got a camera. Partner over here has a camera. File. Can you turn on your front camera? >> File on camera. >> Okay. Got a car camera going too. Okay. I'm going to use the back of my hand, right? All right. >> Well, we got double check, right? >> Yeah. >> All right. Let's walk over here to the left. top car. All right. >> What are we going in here for? For >> slide around. Slide around. Just slide slide in this way. Slide in this way so you're right. >> What am I going in here for? What am I going in here for? Why am I going in here for? Oh my god. Oh my god. Oh my god. [screaming] Oh my god. Oh my god. Why am I getting No. For no reason at all. No. There's no reason. You take me all the way back for no reason. For no reason. Let me go. [screaming] Oh my god. Let me go. Please let me go. Please let me go. >> [crying] >> Let me [screaming] go, mother. Let me go. Let me go make the bar more, please. Oh my god, I'm so hot. Oh my god. Please. Oh my god. You'reing killing me. Oh my god. Thising [laughter] this will come out. [screaming] Die. Please let me go. Please. Please. Oh my god. Let me go. Please let me go. [screaming] Please let me go. Please let me go. Oh my god, my ears. [screaming] [crying] Oh my god, my ears. Let me go. Please let me go. Please let me go. Please let me go. Almost there. >> Please let me go. You have to let me go. It's too late. I have to show. It's too late. I'm not going to get a flight. It's too late. You got to mother. Take me to a hotel [screaming] now. Take me to a hotel, [ __ ] It's too late for me to get to fight. It's too late. Take me to a hotel now, [ __ ] Now, [screaming] [ __ ] Let me out of this [ __ ] >> Wait a minute. >> No, it's not. Wait a minute, mother. Let me out now. Let me out [screaming] now. No, [ __ ] [snorts] Let me out. Let me out. >> What began as a flight to Mobile, Alabama ends in a class C misdemeanor arrest, an attempted assault on a gate agent, and possible resisting charges. All from a passenger who, by her own count, had three or four drinks on an empty stomach. The lesson is sharp and simple. Airports are public places under the law, and intoxication that endangers anyone, yourself included, is arrestable on site. If you cannot fly sober, do not fly. If denied boarding, walk away. Do not swing. A second lesson for travelers. Recording your own interactions, staying silent, and waiting to speak with an attorney are far stronger protections than arguing with officers who have already documented probable cause against you on body cam. A final lesson on policing. Lambert's restraint, his explicit Fourth Amendment articulation, and his back of hand search technique prove that constitutional awareness and tactical professionalism are not luxuries. They are the baseline standard.