GREEN BAY – Green Bay Police Officer Matthew Knutson has resigned, effective Dec. 31, for violating use of force and conduct polices, the police department said in a news release Thursaday.
Knutson resigned on Tuesday during a meeting with Police Chief Christopher Davis about the police departments investigation into the officer’s actions during a traffic stop on Nov. 23, 2021.
Police video of the traffic stop shows the driver passing a stop sign, then refusing to stop his car for Knutson, 41, who was following with his patrol car’s emergency lights on. The driver eventually fled on foot after Knutson had parked his patrol car, and a second officer had joined the pursuit on foot. Knutson eventually returned to his car and resumed pursuing, knocking the man down by striking him with the car, the video shows.
The man, whose name has not been revealed, reported no injuries following the incident. Police did not file any charges against him.
Knutson, a 14-year veteran with the department, was convicted on Oct. 30 in Brown County Circuit Court after pleading no contest to misdemeanor attempted misconduct. A second misdemeanor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, was dismissed but read in.
Police revealed the existence of the investigation in October 2022 not long after a staffer from the Brown County District Attorney’s Office raised concerns with police department officials. Not long after, they held a news conference that included playing a video of the chase, the incident that preceded it, and the patrol car striking the man.
In a news release Friday, police said they had conducted what they called an “extensive administrative investigation.”
Knutson has been on administrative leave since Oct. 22, 2022.
Email Doug Schneider at DSchneid@Gannett.com, call him at (920) 599-0809 and follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @PGDougSchneider
This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Green Bay police officer Matthew Knutson to resign
