Etienne's 'Night Patrol' is possibly one of the best known 'Erotic Arrest' stories, a classic. Seeing the first picture in the series (below) was one of my earliest experiences of gay erotic art. The image of the handsome young man allowing two cops to undress him made a tremendous impact on me, helping to inspire my own art.
1
The Night Patrol catch an unfortunate youth with his pants down.
For me this is the best drawing in the series, Etienne captures the magic moment where the driver, faced with his misdemeanour being made public plus a fine he can't afford, freezes, which encourages the cops to suggest an alternative solution. Etienne has lovingly crafted an irresistible object of desire in this pretty young man with a wealth of sexy detail, from his floppy hair down to his sports shoes. The cops look a little bit comical, leaning in through the windows, but they seem powerful and mean - but certainly not ugly! Their maturity and authority are important ingredients in what follows.
Etienne did another story (Patrol Car 682) where the cops catch an amorous, straight couple in a steamed-up car and, with the girl running away, proceed to deal with the young man left behind. I believe this may be the underlying storyline here too, but it could equally be a choir boy caught speeding to church practice.
2
The cops suggest payment in kind to the bewildered young man,
pulling him out of the car to give head.
In this picture Etienne emulates Tom of Finland in disguising an impossible arrangement of objects, in this case the car door, which in the real world would completely block the space between the cop and the young man. In Etienne's universe it magically retracts into the background to allow the action to proceed. It's a quirk that doesn't really matter, the point of the picture is the look on the face of the youth as he is offered the chance to taste cop dick.
The picture sequence in this series is not obvious, there are numerous continuity issues but I'm putting this one as no 2 based on the cop on the left who seems to still be holding the shirt he has just taken off. However, I can't explain why they have apparently switched cars!
3
The second officer guides the young man's head into his colleague's crotch. The cop's thighs engulf his face - this is real deep throat. He's probably unaware that his legs are invitingly splayed open, a sign of things to come.
4
In pictures 4&5 both cops have climbed inside the car. They continue demonstrating the ways of justice in these parts. He is extremely receptive and aroused by their instruction.
Note that he has mysteriously got both legs in his jeans now after starting out with only one.
Pictures 2-4 are drawn in Etienne's, pen and ink, 'Stephen' style.
The detailing of the car interior here is suddenly very geometric and precise.
5
In this curious picture the cop's raised fist and the young man's grip on his buttock seem to suggest that his course of instruction has moved or is about to move on to a rather advanced level. The cop pulls the young man in closer, creating a memorable pose that is both intimate and full of portent. The student looks to be tiring but certainly couldn't be said to be drooping - perhaps it's all down to the sight of the second cop unzipping in the back seat.
For fellow geeks, note how the crossing legs create another 'impossible' conjunction of objects.
6
The young man is taken from the car and offered a double helping. His upper torso looks as tasty and inviting here as it did in the first picture. Golden showers might well be the order of the day shortly, but there is a good deal in this series which is left to the viewer's imagination. I find the youth's dick sprouting from a nest of pubes, but partly hidden, a very erotic device too, although the clumsy twist in the lower body has led some internet purists to crop it off entirely (along with the signature regrettably).
This particular picture could appear almost anywhere in the closing sequence, the figures are shown a long way from the car (hence my water sports suggestion) but that doesn't really help to place the scene in sequence. At this point, the second moustachioed cop has removed his trousers (but see No 8 below).
7
The second cop takes his turn at close quarters while his pal moisturises his tool and uses the toe of his boot to prepare the point of entry. The rigid arching of the boy's body suggests he's thrilled by it all. The sudden appearance of the moon seems to imply the passage of considerable time, the night marching on as the fun continues. Atmospheric but I'd hesitate to suggest it's romantic.
Close inspection of the victim's impressive 'flagpole' shows an object like a penis-head between his balls, the belly area behind doesn't look right either. If any reader can throw light on this, I'd be interested to hear from them.
8
The denouement is conducted over the bonnet of the police car. He's not exactly taking it in his stride. but his wide-open legs suggest a willingness to engage. Not Etienne's best drawing, but you can see where he's going and it still works in its earthiness. This passive pose harks back to picture 3 in a satisfying symmetry (which was possibly not intentional). Etienne obviously liked it; he recycles it in other stories.
The original sporty character seems to have transformed into a much older and mature man for this important moment. It's a slightly disappointing discontinuity. Both characters would make this story attractive but the older one pulls different strings, erotically speaking and would give it a different feel.
I have placed this picture after no 7 where the cop appears to be 'lubing-up'. Rear penetration is usually the 'coup de grace' in a story such as this - but cop no 2 at the back looks fully dressed here so it's possible this image belongs earlier, say at no 6 where it would serve as an intermediate climax, prior to the concluding rites.
9
Before he met these two cops this might have seemed like the ultimate indignity. He's clearly turned on by it now. In fact, he's been aroused all the way through the action, enjoying 'the game'. As is usual in fetish scenes, once sex gets under way, dark hints give way to lustful desire - as in the Keith 'punk' story for example (see Arrest No 4). In this story it's only the final image that fully reveals the sub's enjoyment of the scene and his willingness to participate without any hint of ambiguity. The young man's upward tilted head is surely the epitome of submission. Astonishingly, handcuffs do not feature anywhere in this little Polce epic, another sign of the sub's willingness to follow the cop's authority and assertiveness.
Above, the cop celebrates a successful operation in the traditional manner by smoking a cigarette. His knowing smile and backward thrust give his dominance a flavour of casual smugness. The young man has certainly earned the cancellation of his ticket!
Night Patrol is something of a flawed masterpiece, the quality of drawing fluctuates between extremes, even within the same picture but there are elements in most of the pictures which are pure, erotic genius - even when they are imperfectly realised. There are continuity issues with clothing and positioning of the characters, but in a sense this is not a story, but a series of snapshots, impressions of events in a protracted process of initiation, an A-Z of gay sex almost. So, picture sequence is perhaps not crucial to our enjoyment.
It pleases me that the characters remain partially clothed throughout, it helps to retain their identity and enhances their sexiness - just look at picture 9! In addition, Etienne's facial characterisations are impressive, there are 3 distinct looks here and while you can imagine meeting these cops in your local dungeon, doing similar things, you know the young man would never be seen there. He doesn't seem to belong in such a place so it's a surprise to discover him enjoying this situation, which makes it all the more pleasant for us!
The sense of control and domination throughout 'Night Patrol' makes it a uniquely daring take on the arrest theme.
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