Arresting Presidents

by Kitty Felde

At the end of State of the Union, Fina gets a letter from the President of the United States.

Since I am Commander in Chief, I have instructed various policing agencies of the federal government to allow you to continue your important work.

But can the Commander in Chief be arrested?

It’s likely to come up in the classroom: how do you talk about the conviction of former President Trump without getting into a political discussion or the R-rated details?

Let’s take a step back into history. 

Donald Trump was not the first president to be arrested for a crime.

Ulysses S. Grant

(photo courtesy of the White House)

President Grant loved horses. According to the National Park Service, he had a "natural ability" with horses and even trained them for his neighbors in Ohio. He followed horse races wherever he was stationed in the Army. And he loved buggy racing himself.

That's what got him in trouble.

(painting courtesy of Library of Congress)

"I am very sorry. Mr. President, to have to do it, for you are the chief of the nation and I am nothing but a policeman, but duty is duty, sir. And I will have to place you under arrest."

In 1872, there were complaints in Washington about buggy races terrorizing a particular neighborhood - a 19th century version of street takeovers. A woman and a six-year-old child were knocked down and badly injured during one race.

William West, an African-American policeman, was investigating the incident, near 13th and M Streets. The original team of racers were long gone, but a second group of buggy racers came tearing up the street.

One of the drivers was the President of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant.

Repeat Offender

This wasn't the first time Grant had been pulled over for speeding. A year after the end of the Civil War, in 1866, then-General Grant was cited for "fast driving." 

The story was picked up by newspapers as far away as Nevada, buried next to ads for millinery goods and “the most elegant, graceful, and serviceable hoop skirt in America." 

The story may have had legs because here was the General who won the war to preserve the Union, doubting whether the cops had the authority to arrest him.

(Camden Daily Journal citing National Intelligencer)

Did Grant Learn a Lesson?

When Policeman West pulled over President Grant, the chief executive asked,"Well, officer, what do you want with me?"

West responded, "I want to inform you. Mr. President, f that you are violating the law by speeding along this street. Your fast driving, sir, has set the example for a lot of other gentlemen."

The president apologized, promised not to do it again, and got off with a warning.

The next day, Policeman West watched as two dozen teams of horses came roaring down 13th Street, led by President Grant. West stopped the race, reminded the Commander in Chief of his promise, then escorted him and half a dozen of his buddies down to the station house where they were fined $20 apiece as bail and ordered to show up the next day in court.

President Grant was a no-show and forfeited his $20.

Consequences for the Cop?

Officer West told this story to the Evening Star in 1908.

According to William West, President Grant had heard a rumor that the cop might be fired and sent a message to the chief of police, complimenting West on his fearlessness in making arrests, and "made it plain that he would not allow any harm to come" to him.

We have only William West's word about the truth of the story of President Grant's arrest. Researchers with the National Park Service couldn't find any other other primary source documents from the period to back up the story.