Broken Arrow police chief barred from speaking after administrative leave begins

Broken Arrow Police Chief Lance Arnold convened a press conference to address questions regarding his administrative leave, but the event ended early after his legal team announced they had received a formal directive from the city government. The city instructed Arnold to cease all public statements immediately. Attorney D. Mitchell Garrett Jr. read the directive to reporters, noting it prohibits Arnold from speaking personally or through representatives for the duration of his leave. Garrett challenged the authority of the city to restrict his client's speech in this manner, stating that while employers can direct their employees, they cannot dictate the actions of his legal counsel.

Arnold spoke briefly before departing the room. He noted that his family learned of his suspension through media reports rather than a direct communication from him. He said his wife and two sons read the news on their phones before he could return home to explain the situation. Arnold expressed his intention to cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation. He stated that he would attend the city's interview, answer all questions, and adhere to all preservation and conduct orders issued during his leave.

The legal team emphasized that the city has not disclosed the specific accusations against the chief. They pointed out that open records requests filed by the law firm and several news agencies, including KJRH, have not yet been fulfilled. Garrett highlighted that the city released a specific email package to only one media outlet. He requested that the city post the documents on its website to ensure all outlets have equal access to the information. The attorneys noted that the city has provided no further details regarding the policies at issue or the nature of the allegations.

Earlier in the week, Garrett issued a statement acknowledging that Arnold admitted to a policy violation in an email dated March. Garrett said Arnold accepted ultimate responsibility for the incident. The department subsequently retrained officers on procedures for warrantless arrests and entries. Despite this admission, the city has not released the full scope of the allegations to the public. City officials told reporters that they have no comment at this time because the investigation is ongoing.