I Experienced Michigan State Police Misconduct. This is my Story.

This piece was published in January 2023, documenting a July 2022 incident involving Michigan State Police conduct during an arrest carried out on orders by Barry County. It is part of a series of firsthand accounts and investigative reporting that preceded and informed Clutch Justice’s ongoing coverage of Barry County institutional failures.

For the full investigative record, including appellate proceedings, court record irregularities, and documented retaliation, see the Barry County series and People v. Williams.

This account was filed with the Michigan State Police and the Michigan Attorney General’s office. No corrective action was taken.

In July 2022, I experienced police misconduct at the hands of the Michigan State Police. My brain has done mental gymnastics, desperately trying to understand how any of this could be ok to inflict on anyone. For several weeks after, I couldn’t eat, I barely slept, and I jumped every time I heard someone at the door. I refused to open my curtains. I immediately filed a complaint hoping that this behavior would stop and no one else would have anything like this happen to them.

Later, the Michigan State Police would claim no wrong doing. Except there is harm. I still don’t feel safe in my home. I jump when I hear doorbells. I hate people coming over without telling me they’re coming over; it’s PTSD.

This is my story as told to Barry County Prosecutors Office.

Neither reported it, neither cared. It came up twice in Court Transcripts, and was blown off by Barry County Courts, too. Specifically Judge Michael Lee Schipper. He said, “what happened is between you and the MSP, not me.” Deeply concerning to me, is that Judge Schipper and the Prosecutor’s Office is perfectly ok with traumatizing children.

I have even reported this to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel; no one seems to care.

If this can happen to my family, a typical family who lives in a good neighborhood, it can happen to anyone. Or something even worse. Somehow, Michigan Law and the Constitution are not working in tandem.

Names are redacted to protect myself, my children, and my neighbors. Yes, body camera footage and audio recording exist. No, I am not releasing it for my kids’ sake.

My Letter

“To Whom it May Concern:

I write to you as a citizen and mother who has been traumatized by the Michigan State Police on a warrant approved by your Prosecuting office. I am significantly concerned about their flagrant misconduct.

My husband is working with a lawyer and was scheduled for turn-in Thursday, July 28th to prevent disruption and any trauma to myself and my children. This was worked out several days in advance between the lawyer with Detective Bryan Fuller of the MSP Wayland Post.

On July 23, 2022, two officers I would later determine to be Max Taylor and Cody Tucker, showed up at my home anyway and treated me with significant disrespect, leaving my Complex PTSD from childhood [sic] abuse triggered. They never identified themselves to me. I demanded multiple times to see a warrant, and they refused saying they could do whatever they wanted because of the warrant. This circular logic clearly doesn’t make sense because how can one verify the accuracy of a warrant if one is never shown the warrant? I had to literally scream at the Officers not enter my (blank) year-old daughter’s room while she was changing out of a wet swimsuit. As a childhood sexual abuse survivor, this is unforgivable.

These officers flouted many MSP Policies and did not leave any information and never once showed me a warrant. After calming down my children, I had to contact MSP Headquarters to find out where they took my husband. When my husband attempted to explain that he had a planned turn-in already scheduled, they did not care. Instead, Officer Taylor lied to him stating Detective Fuller was no longer on the case and proceeded to arrest my husband anyway. Detective Fuller is aware of this and has not bothered to apologize to my husband or me.

My (blank)-year-old son is heartbroken, because these officers scared him. He has wanted to be a police officer his whole life, and no longer feels they “are the good guys.” This breaks my heart, because I can’t disagree with him and fix that hurt.

As someone who recently completed a Master’s Degree in Criminal Justice, this nightmarish event has shattered my entire worldview. I have never felt unsafe in my home before this event and I no longer trust law enforcement. I continue to experience PTSD symptoms. I am afraid to answer the door or open my windows.

Barry County Jail staff were the only people who showed me any kindness or dignity, and really listened to me as I cried into the phone.

I want to make you aware of this event as this is not only overtly unconstitutional but damaging to the Michigan State Police’s image and deserves investigation and remediation. It demonstrates a lack of integrity and a blatant disregard for fourth amendment rights. There are several Federal legal precedents/cases that uphold the rights of cohabitants and children in homes during execution of warrants. Ours were all broken that day.

I have attached additional documentation and audio of the event. The camera is pointed at our dogs’ beds, but you can hear the exchange. I have also requested body camera footage.

I routed my complaint and the audio to the Michigan State Police Headquarters Professional Standards office, the Attorney General’s office, and am seeking legal counsel. I have also contacted Representative Matt Hall for help.

I fail to see how traumatizing an innocent woman and her children is in the best interest of the people of the state of Michigan.”

Broken Michigan State Police Policies

Michigan State Police Warrant Policy:

Section 3.23bE: An enlisted member who seeks a search warrant and knows at the time of the warrant request that the presence of a third party is necessary shall include this information in the warrant request (Barry County and Michigan State Police knew from records and statements that we had children, one of the Officers admitted it was not in the warrant).

Section 3.23c Enforcement members shall leave a copy of the search warrant affidavit with the person or place that the search was conducted unless doing so would inhibit the investigation or pose a safety threat to another individual.

No copy of the warrant was left, no business cards, nothing.

Michigan State Police Search and Seizure Policy:

1. The United States and Michigan courts have interpreted their respective Constitutions to require the government to obtain a search warrant before conducting a search. The courts have also recognized that as a matter of public policy there must be exceptions to this so- called “search warrant rule.” One of the judicially recognized exceptions is the “Search Subsequent to Arrest” exception.

(1) When using this exception, an enforcement member must show that the following four elements are present.

1. First, it must be shown there was a lawful custodial arrest;
2. Second, that the search was conducted for offensive weapons and/or evidence;
3. Third, that the search was contemporaneous with the arrest;
4. Fourth, the area of the search was within the control of the arrested person at the time of the arrest.

Except we NEVER saw a warrant. How can any of that be constitutional??

Michigan State Police Member Conduct and Authority

Section 4.5b OBEDIENCE TO LAW

Obscene or immoral conduct on duty is prohibited.

Section 4.6a

Members shall not knowingly violate any laws of the United States (Um Hello, constitutional rights?), State of Michigan, ordinance of a unit of local government, laws of another state or country, or an order of any court. If such a charge is shown to be factual, the fact that no criminal prosecution was instituted against a member shall not bar department discipline. Likewise, the fact that criminal prosecution did take place,regardless of outcome, shall not have a bearing on department discipline procedures that shall be conducted on an independent basis. The results of any criminal proceeding shall be considered in any administrative hearing.

Members shall not knowingly violate the state or federal civil rights of fellow members or the public. Public expression of any prejudice against any individual or group based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, marital status, disability, height, weight, genetic information, or other area protected by law is prohibited.

Section 4.6b Members shall not knowingly violate the laws of arrest or search and seizure in the performance of their duties. Members may be disciplined for actions which the member knows, or could reasonably be expected to know, are in violation of existing law.

Search and Seizure 

Section 3.23c Enforcement members shall leave a copy of the search warrant affidavit with the person or place that the search was conducted unless doing so would inhibit the investigation or pose a safety threat to another individual.

Note: This FREE resource on conducting arrests with children in the home has been available since 2015; the Michigan State Police could easily have trained their officers on it and to the best of my knowledge, never have.

Additional Reading:

• Locked Up Without a Warrant: How Allegan County’s Probation System Fails Fourth Amendment Rights
• Shadow Justice in Allegan County? Multiple People Say Sheriff’s Deputy Went Straight to Judge Kengis Without a Prosecutor
• What is a Section 1983 Claim?: When Citizens Can Sue the Government for Constitutional Violations
• Non-Extraditable Justice: Examining Why Michigan Doesn’t Chase Misdemeanors
• Former Allegan County Resident Speaks Out Against Alleged Sheriff’s Office Abuse