Boeing Company Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 102; Flight Crew Type 1076
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Security; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Passenger Misconduct
Flight Crew Became Reoriented; General Police / Security Involved
Human Factors; Procedure
I received a call from the Purser while in cruise flight at 37;000 ft in reference to a female passenger in seat 14E complaining about the passenger in seat 14F touching her while she was sleeping. Female passenger exchanged words with the passenger in 14F and asked him to knock it off. Female passenger was traveling with her husband who was seated in seat 14D. The female passenger traded seats with her husband. I asked the Purser to reseat the female passenger and her husband in order to diffuse the situation that was escalating. I reviewed the FOM and based on the information that I received from the Purser; I contacted [dispatch] via ACARS and requested that Management and law enforcement meet the jet on arrival. Law enforcement detained passenger in 14F. After speaking with female passenger and her husband and extending an apology; I discovered that this incident could have been declared as a security threat level 2 vice 1.
Air carrier Captain reported passenger misconduct enroute led to law enforcement detaining the passenger on arrival.