Skip to main content

State Police Investigation Results in Charges Against Tri-City Post Trooper

Today, Tpr. Paul Arrowood of the Michigan State Police (MSP) Tri-City Post was arraigned in the 70th District Court on a criminal charge of Misconduct in Office (felony) and Assault and Battery (misdemeanor) related to an on-duty incident that occurred on Sept. 4, 2022. Saginaw County Prosecutor John McColgan authorized the charges following an investigation conducted by the MSP. 

On Sept. 4, 2022, Arrowood and his partner were on patrol when they encountered a male subject walking in the roadway on Webber Street near Julius Street in Saginaw. Contact was made with the subject and the troopers attempted to physically detain him. Arrowood took the male subject to the ground, striking him with a closed fist multiple times, causing visible injuries.

“The actions of Tpr. Paul Arrowood fall outside of MSP policy and procedure and they constitute an unwarranted use of force,” stated Col. Joe Gasper, director of the MSP. “The members of the Michigan State Police are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect, and we will tolerate no less. When we fall short of this standard, we will hold our members accountable.”

In the interest of transparency, the MSP is making available the investigative report and body-worn camera footage of this incident. Redactions have been made to protect the privacy of victims and witnesses, security of jail facilities and the integrity of the investigation.

As a result of this incident, Arrowood was suspended effective Sept. 30, 2022. With the issuance of criminal charges, he will remain on unpaid suspension pending adjudication of the criminal case and any resulting administrative investigation.

The MSP Third District does have two other non-related use of force cases that are pending prosecutor review, which could potentially result in criminal charges against members of the MSP.

“Whether or not a criminal charge is issued, our members will be held accountable for violations of department policy,” added Gasper. “Policy violations are investigated thoroughly and acted upon in a manner consistent with labor law and collective bargaining agreements.

“While each of these situations represents an individual incident, we are taking a wholistic review to look beyond the surface to identify if there are improvements we can make department-wide to prevent similar situations in the future. Actions we are taking include ensuring there is accountability by supervisors, including the temporary reassignments of supervisors to ensure we have the right personnel in the right places; evaluating our use of force training, specifically training around strikes to the head and face; and building upon our de-escalation training program.”

 

Media Contact: