GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – A Green Bay Police Officer has had charges issued against him following allegations of misconduct tied to a traffic stop he did back in November of 2021.
The Brown County District Attorney’s Office has issued charges against a Green Bay Police Department officer, according to the Green Bay Police Department. The officer is facing allegations of misconduct related to a traffic stop that took place on November 23, 2021.
Officer Matthew Knutson is the officer involved in the incident under review. Knutson is reportedly a 13-year veteran of the department.
On October 20, 2022, the department was made aware of concerns surrounding the actions of Officer Knutson. The actions were while he was trying to stop a man for Failure to Yield Right-of-Way.
An inquiry reviewing body worn and squad car camera footage started. This was then compared to Officer Knutson’s police report details.
Authorities say the initial investigation showed possible conflicts with how Officer Knutson’s patrol vehicle contacted the man during a foot pursuit. The man was reportedly forced to the ground.
Knutson was reportedly placed on administrative leave on October 22, 2022. On April 18, 2023, The Brown County District Attorney’s Office issued the following charges:
- Misconduct in Public Office
- Class I Felony
- Negligent Operation of Vehicle
- Class A Misdemeanor
We take all allegations of misconduct by Green Bay Police officers seriously, and I am committed to handling them in a way that is objective, thorough, and fair to all involved. I made it clear from the beginning of my time here, and I reiterate again, that I will not tolerate excessive force, ethical violations, or criminal activity by GBPD members. However, in our system of justice, people accused of crimes are considered innocent until proven guilty. Officer Matthew Knutson has the same due process rights as any other defendant in a criminal matter,
Green Bay Police Chief Chris Davis
Chief Davis answered some questions from the media, which can be viewed in full below.
Chief Davis said he released some squad car videos and officer body camera videos so the community knows the department is being transparent, even while the administrative investigation is underway.
It shows that the driver of the car pulled into a driveway but then ran away on foot.
Repeated commands by Knutson and other responding officers are heard, most ordering him to stop and show his hands.
At one point, in the foot pursuit an officer, not Knutson, discharged a Taser. The driver kept going.
The dashboard camera shows the suspect come into view in the headlights of Knutson’s squad car.
There appears to be contact between the man and the car’s bumper. You see Knutson tackle the man and then other officers move in to handcuff him.
The man says he ran because he was scared. A voice can be heard telling him to catch his breath and that he was not injured.
Chief Davis says he’s looking into why so much time passed before he was notified of the investigation.
He says the driver never filed an official complaint with the police department.
Chief Davis also explained that when it comes to a department review, which is being conducted by the Sheriff’s Office, you can not take an officer’s history into account, until there’s a conclusion and corrective action is taken.
“You can have an employee with a significant discipline history and through a new investigation, we found out did nothing wrong,” explained Chief Davis. “Or you have an employee with a spotless record who did do something wrong. The investigation can never be biased at any point by the officer’s history. ”
