The rookie Sag Harbor police officer who pulled over pop superstar Justin Timberlake on suspicion of drunk driving is reportedly well-known in the upscale town.
Officer Michael Arkinson, who turned 24 this month, reportedly pulled the “Sexy Back” singer over Tuesday morning after seeing him run a stop sign and swerve into the right lane.
Just three months after joining the police force, Arkinson’s strict enforcement of traffic laws earned him a reputation among Sag Harbor’s wealthy residents, earning him nicknames such as “The Sag Harbor Nazi” and “The Red Headed Brat.”
Though Timberlake was world famous, Arkinson, who wasn’t even born when Timberlake joined ‘NSync in 1995, had no idea who he was dating.
Arkinson was just a toddler when Timberlake’s hit “Bye Bye Bye” topped the charts in 2000.
A reporter who identified himself as Spencer, a Shelter Island native, described an unpleasant encounter he had with Arkinson after making a U-turn in Sag Harbor looking for a parking spot.
“I was surprised he stopped me,” Spencer said. Daily Mail“It was the offseason and there was nobody there. It was a no-brainer. I felt like he called me in just to do it.”
Spencer received a warning but the punishment was less lenient the next time he collided with Arkinson.
When Spencer was stopped while talking on his mobile phone, he protested that he was on speaker phone.
“They told me I should have used Bluetooth,” Spencer told the outlet. Despite his explanation, Arkinson fined him $145. “I thought he’d let me off the hook… I really disrupted my training and lunch plans.”
“I believe Justin Timberlake was the victim of excessive force by the Sag Harbor Police Department,” he added.
Meanwhile, a longtime Sag Harbor resident reminisced about Arkinson’s time working as a traffic controller, known as a “brownie,” before joining the police force.
“Everyone knew where the cops were going to park on Main Street,” the resident told the outlet, adding that it was understandable that Arkinson wasn’t aware of Timberlake’s fame. “If it’s not your musical taste, how would you know?”
Arkinson, who is 6-foot-4, played lacrosse at Southampton High School and Roger Williams University.
He began working as a part-time traffic controller in 2017, making less than $15 an hour, but will become a full-time police officer in Sag Harbor in March 2024.
An officer with the Sag Harbor Police Department makes about $70,000 a year.
The Post has reached out to Arkinson for comment.
On the night of Timberlake’s arrest, Arkinson wrote in his report that Timberlake “performed poorly on all standard field sobriety tests,” smelled of alcohol, was unsteady on his feet, and had a slow speech pattern.
Timberlake claimed he had “just had one martini” and was following a friend to his house. After refusing three breathalyzer tests, he was arrested and transported to Sag Harbor Police Headquarters.
Timberlake pleaded not guilty in Sag Harbor Village Court on Tuesday and was released on bail by his attorney, Eddie Burke. By Wednesday, Timberlake had left the Hamptons and was preparing for his Chicago concert on Friday night.
His case is due back in court on July 26, but Starr is not required to attend.
