A man told officers he had just relieved himself and was burning the feces. He said he did not know starting a fire was illegal and thought he did nothing wrong.
Because there were nearby trash bins with paper, the 31-year-old man was arrested for reckless burning.
The online police blotter says firefighters put out the fire and hosed down the alley.
Police spokeswoman Renee Witt says there's nothing in the report to indicate why the man thought burning human waste behind the police station was a good idea, but he was not referred for a mental evaluation.