Green’s Dictionary of Slang

1. a kick [SE roust].

1934

H. Roth Call It Sleep (1977) 269: If he catches yuh! Wadda roost innee ass he gives.

2. (orig. US Und.) an arrest [roust v.² (3)].

1961		Rigney & Smith Real Bohemia xvi: roust a bust, an arrest, a raid.
1969		‘Iceberg Slim’ Pimp 167: All your nephew had to do to beat the roust was mention a name.
1972		C. Bukowski Erections, Ejaculations etc. 122: A roust [...] nothing but a police roust.
1990		(con. early 1950s) J. Ellroy L.A. Confidential 152: He had three pimping rousts.
1992		R. Price Clockers 375: Strike’s cop [...] loosely held a cigarette in his free hand, as if this roust was on his own time.
2001		(con. 1964–8) J. Ellroy Cold Six Thousand 31: This isn’t a real FBI roust.
2009		(con. 1960s) J. Ellroy Blood’s a Rover 36: Fistfights, drunk-driving beefs. MIckey Mouse rousts.
2017		T. Pluck Bad Boy Boogie [ebook] ‘This ain’t a roust. Think I’d come alone, with your jacket?’.
2021		J. Ellroy Widespread Panic 201: No arrests/eight rousts on suspicion: GTA, flimflam, malicious mischief, Stat Rape, Peeping Tom.