It does seem logical to my mind that if the police have taken charge of the PAX, the airline isn't responsible.
bjcc feels that complaining would be wasting police time and tax payers money. My reaction to that is
GOOD!
Because if they can keep people for four hours without food and water and lavatory access, how much longer can they do it? What about the poor old boy with prostate problems? Is he expected to p** himself?
It's only by complaining loud and long and costing money when authority is misused that it can be stopped. Remember, people in Germany in 1933 didn't see much to complain about at first...........'When they came for me, there was nobody left to speak out'