This is not true in all cases and in all locations. As with everything, it depends on the circumstances. I had a Sailor recently who actually made it through the gate and back to the barracks, only to be reported (and arrested) because he was having significant issues trying to park at the on-base Subway. Everything was handled by the Navy, no civilian law enforcement involvement. But, just my .02c
Good grief. He had THAT much trouble finding an open spot in that lot away from everyone else?
There's some A-pool level rumormongering and sea lawyering going on in this thread by people extrapolating their experience on one base to the world. The interface between townies and base personnel is going to depend on Federal, State, and local laws, as well as the relationships between key players on base and in the local government. For you junior kids reading, this is key. Why?
Well, say you have an outstanding junior Sailor who is the child of alcoholics, and turns out to have a drinking problem. Specifically, though physically small, they're a violent drunk. This individual finds this out by getting lit for the first time while underage, and then beating the crap out of their significant other when they try to take the keys. No history of DV, no intent to do it again, horrible remorse the next day. Scared away from booze for life, even without the DAPA treatment and no-drink order coming down the pipe. But in this particular state, the legislature has decreed that when the cops get called to a dispute between significant others, even if not married/engaged, someone must go to jail. Putting this individual in the clink and headed for arraignment on assault charges. Unless, that is, you have a JAG who lets you know that the base has a good relationship with the city attorney, who knows that the local Navy has historically not brushed shit under the rug. And that after reviewing the facts of this particular case, the city attorney is willing to drop the charges, in exchange for the CO agreeing to take this individual to mast. Which allows you to take a huge fuckup and turn it from a conviction and jail time which would have ruined someone's life into NJP, a hobbled but not dead Navy career, and a painful life lesson, without the stigma of conviction following this Sailor around for life, a Sailor who has since rebounded better than anyone could have dreamed. In retrospect, one of the things in my career which I'm proudest.
The important thing for you future Legal Os reading this thread is to network your way into a small Rolodex of JAGs. By which I mean, when you go to Legal O Skool, first, fucking pay attention and do the damn homework. Second, when the RLSO folks do their brief and say "hey, call us if you've got questions," keep their contact info. It's great when you're new to be able to do a JO-to-JO "hey dude, this is my situation, am I cool" before briefing your CO. Because they're lawyers. Their job is to give people legal advice. The only hangup you will run into (douches excepted), depending on who your local JAGs report to, is that they are first bound to recuse themselves from giving any advice which would later keep them from being able to ethically advise their boss without a conflict of interest, because, well, duh. He/she is a Captain or Admiral and you're . . . not. Hence having two or three others to call in a pinch with dumb questions for your first couple of months. But most are glad to help. Plus, you can spread the dumb questions around, and no one JAG thinks you're too much of a moron.