Police officer suspended for aggressive arrest of self-described ‘First Amendment auditor,’ later resigns

---

A police officer in Utica, Michigan, was suspended and placed under investigation after a video of him displaying hostile behavior during an arrest of a “First Amendment auditor” went viral online. He later resigned, after an investigation into his conduct.

Key Players

Greg Morabito was a detective sergeant with the Utica Police Department, which has 17 sworn officers and four civilian dispatchers. 

Steve Jones runs the Youtube channel “Fricn Media,” which has been active since August 2020. He describes himself as a “First Amendment auditor.” On his channel, he records video on public property and at other locations to see if his right to record will be challenged.

Further Details

Roughly 25 miles north of Detroit, Utica, a suburb of about 5,000 people, narrowly leans conservative.  

Jones and another “auditor” were recording at a local gas station parking lot when a concerned driver called the police on them. Morabito and several other officers responded to the call. 

After arriving, Morabito approached Jones and one of his auditors and asked, “What’s going on?” Jones and the auditor immediately dismissed Morabito, advising him to speak with the citizen who phoned the police, adamant they would not answer questions because they had not committed a crime. 

Throughout the video, tensions rise. The auditors tell Morabito  not to touch their vehicle, calling him an “idiot,” “dumbass,” and “arrogant little pig.” At one point, Morabito declines to give them his badge number, which the auditors insist he must do. “You’re a public servant, bitch!” one of them said. 

Angered by their defiance and berating, Morabito exchanged more insults with the auditors. Morabito eventually gave them the middle finger and knocked the phone out of Jones’s hands, The Detroit News reported. Other officers told Morabito to remove himself from the situation, and after all officers had left, Jones and his auditors went to the police station to file a complaint.

In a video recorded by one of the auditors inside the police station, Morabito told them that they could not file a complaint until the next day and threatened to arrest them if they did not leave. When they refused, Morabito arrested Jones for disorderly conduct, according to The News . 

On Feb. 10, 2022, the video of the incident was posted to Fricn Media’s Youtube channel and gained more than 100,000 views.

Outcome 

Utica Police Department suspends and investigates Morabito

After the video went viral, the Utica Police Department put Morabito on leave and pledged to conduct a “full and transparent investigation into the matter,” C & G News reported.  

Charges against Steve Jones have not been dropped

Jones, who asserted he did not resist arrest, alleged he was roughed up while being arrested, leaving him with a bruise and a small cut he sought treatment for at an urgent care center, according to The News. 

After an hour, police released him, but the disorderly conduct charge has not been dropped, ClickOnDetroit reported. 

No charges filed against Morabito, but he steps down from position

In a statement posted on the Utica Police Department’s Facebook page on June 22, 2022, the department announced that an outside investigation authorized by the Macomb County Sheriff’s Department had concluded, The News reported. The department’s request for a warrant to pursue charges against Morabito was denied. The statement also noted that Morabito had stepped down from the Utica Police Department.

As of Jan. 23, 2023, there were no further developments.