Details on MSU LB Tyriq Thompson arrest highlight a toxic MSU/EL football culture

Submitted by Arb lover on

MLive FOIA'd the 9/1/2018 arrest of MSU LB Tyriq Thompson by East Lansing police, and the narrative supports the trend that EL Police give extreme deference to MSU football players, and that MSU football players do not feel they need to follow the lawful orders of police. You can read the police report on scribed at that same link.

If you are simply disgusted with sparty culture, I apologize for the thread; move on about your business. I'm posting because I don't believe even MLive understood the totality of the situation, what it takes for EL police to arrest an MSU football player.

In short, the responding officer made contact with Thompson, determined that it was his party and his house, and asked him to turn off the music and have the guests leave (as the level of sound was in violation of the local noise ordinance).

After RO's continued attempts to have people leave Thompson's residence and property and witnessing Thompson's lack-luster attempt at requesting his guests leave, it was clear that the party in which Thompson was hosting had, in fact grown out of his control and it was obvious that Thompson continued to have loud music and voices leaving his property almost 45 minutes after RO's initial contact (and order to disperse) with Thompson.

A couple of things, and as a 10 year (now former, thanks income tax!) EL resident, I challenge any Spartan fan to tell me I'm wrong about these.

1) EL police issue noise citations upon first contact if they observe a violation, but did not do so here for almost a full hour, contrary to clear police policy as police cannot be aware of a continuing violation without acting on it.

2) EL police, when at an excessive noise party with alcohol, especially a large party like this, and especially the first weekend in the school year where many inexperienced freshmen walk around clueless, will immediately start to ID and card participants, issuing citations to underrage drinkers, but made no effort to do so here for almost an hour. This is also EL police policy; simply imagine the reprecussions if an underrage person died of excessive drinking at a party police were currently at and were not attempting to enforce the law.

3) EL police arrest a property owner if the party does not immediately and continuously wind down. Making arrests for refusal to disperse is their best and easiest way of getting people to leave, but this policy was ignored.

4) EL police, especially on a weekend night, will immediately call for backup for any large noise violation party in excess of 100 people, but did not do so here. It was also early enough in the evening that police resources were not an issue.

Simply put, EL police gave deference to an MSU football player. This player meanwhile displayed what is the MSU football culture of entitlement, in that he believed the rules did not apply to him, regardless of what an officer ordered him to do over the course of 45 minutes.

As a side note, the EL police department refused to release Thompson's name or any of his personal characteristics allegedly because he had not at the time "pled guilty or been convicted of a crime".

You may recall that the EL police department released Grant Perry's police report, unredacted, before he had been convicted of a crime or pled guilty, but then again he was not a MSU football player. Such concludes my rant.

ak47

September 14th, 2018 at 11:24 AM ^

Honestly its a damn good thing they didn't follow policy because those policies are ass and I am sure they are not fully followed constantly at the discretion of the officers.

This thread is a ridiculous stretch, MSU sucks, nothing about this story is an example of police trying to help the football team

The Maizer

September 14th, 2018 at 11:29 AM ^

I agree. I've been to parties in AA that have been issued noise violations and treatment was certainly not as strict as the policies outlined by OP. The only thing that moves the needle at all is if there was really a discrepancy between what's released from the PD about a MSU football player vs. anyone else. I'll save my moral outrage for actual atrocities committed at MSU, of which there are many.

CalifExile

September 14th, 2018 at 6:24 PM ^

Policies are also put in place to avoid civil rights lawsuits. If the policy isn't enforced when the violator is black (e.g. Tyriq Thompson - he's a legacy!) but is enforced against another student who isn't black it presents a prima facie case of racial discrimination. If the policy is a bad policy change it, but don't enforce it arbitrarily.

KennyHiggins

September 14th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^

sorry.  hard to get worked up about a little excessive noise in a college town.

let's save our disdain for things like Trustees looking the other way to an athletic department rape and other sexual harassment culture.

Gobgoblue

September 14th, 2018 at 11:28 AM ^

It's possible there's some preferential treatment here. . . But I've been to a few college parties (and 2 in EL) that have been broken up by the cops and this doesn't look too out of the ordinary to me.

Usually it seems like the cops just break the party up and move along, barring any extenuating circumstances. 

FauxMo

September 14th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^

Yeah, and while I don't doubt there are preferential shenanigans that go on in East Lansing, failing to immediately issue a noise violation and ignoring rape are pretty damned different. I could easily see cops say, "meh, we'll let this slide a little while" and then say, "um, this is rape, this is very different, it's time to act, football be damned." In other words, this proves nothing, in my mind. 

gpsimms not to…

September 14th, 2018 at 11:30 AM ^

Don't really think the content here lived up to the headline you gave it.

I'm pretty sure that every time we had a house party and the cops showed up, we got a ticket. But I'm not positive that's true. I could imagine once or twice they let it go with a warning.

 

Space Coyote

September 14th, 2018 at 11:32 AM ^

I'm not sure...

1) That immediately issuing a noise violation is appropriate action for a police department, particularly in a college town on the first weekend of the school year where they will be going to dozens more situations exactly like this. Not the best way to form relationships with the people you are trying to serve

2) Handing out MIPs to dozens of people on the first weekend is bullshit. I am shocked - shocked - to find that underage drinking is going on here. Again, you want people to trust the police, you don't just hand out MIPs to everyone at a party underage for the sake of doing so. You do it for the people that are clearly in a bad situation or out of control, as required. They weren't at the house party because of "underage drinking", they were there because of a noise violation.

3) Arresting people in this situation seems way out of bounds. That is probably the worst way to handle it and would likely escalate other issues.

4) Was backup really needed? What benefit would backup have provided. I'm all for calling backup if it's needed for protection of people and property and what not. But just calling it in to call it in doesn't seem right.

This seems so far down the list of "issues occurring at MSU" it doesn't really register. The only real complaint is the difference with how Perry's name and Thompson's name were handled.

Arb lover

September 14th, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^

827 w Grand River is very close to a lot of family homes with children, who had to continue listening to excessive noise. Saying its the students the police are there to serve is a misnomer. It also ignores local policy which you may feel is unfair... 

But keep in mind EL is not AA; their policies are stricter and more enforced because of the fear of riot and couch burning which is not present in AA.

A State Fan

September 14th, 2018 at 12:49 PM ^

Lol, near families and children? That's the heart of student rentals. There's a frat across the street, and Cedar Village across Grand River. My God OP.

 

Edit: I do want to amend this. 823 W Grand River is more residential, but actually has more frats near it. I was looking at 823 E Grand River. OP still dumb, but alas, I'm not here to promote fake news.

theytookourjobs

September 14th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^

WOW..........this is sad dude.  Loud music highlights a toxic culture?  Then consider me the toxic avenger.  If you want to post a sparty rage thread, just give them a day or 2.  I'm sure they'll provide some new material by the end of the weekend

WestQuad

September 14th, 2018 at 11:34 AM ^

This seems really petty.   Mods should delete so that we can maintain our moral superiority.  All college students have out of control parties or have been to them.  Otherwise what are you doing at college?

Arb lover

September 14th, 2018 at 11:36 AM ^

Sorry, are you saying it's not unusual for police to be at a party for 45 minutes before taking action? 

People can have valid opinions that police here were simply not jerks, but they were simply not doing their job. Again, In EL they have to verify there is no underrage drinking, and at a party of 300 that's almost a certainty.

As far as moral outrage this incident doesn't deserve it. It's simply more of the same we've seen of MSU Football players being pulled over while driving with visible open containers without arrest or citation for it. When a player feels they don't need to follow the rules in such a blatant manner, it indicates there may be a toxic culture. It's sort of like when Barret told Columbus Ohio PD to go easy on him because he was the OSU QB. Not outrage worthy, simply indicates what the culture may allow.

Arb lover

September 14th, 2018 at 12:43 PM ^

In July 2016, (MSU star running back L. J.) Scott was pulled over by Michigan State University Police in East Lansing for driving without his headlights turned on. According to a police report obtained by the Lansing State Journal, Scott told officers he and a friend were leaving a party. Scott admitted a red plastic cup in the center console that contained alcohol belonged to him.

TIMMMAAY

September 14th, 2018 at 12:26 PM ^

This is something akin to waiting for a season finale of a really terrible show that you just can't help but watch. I just want to know what it's going to take for this tool to finally be removed for good, along with ALL of his accounts, including his main look at me account. It is well past time, I'd say. 

He has a well known grudge against Brian, and this is his way of acting out in an attempt to get "even". 

UM Fan from Sydney

September 14th, 2018 at 1:11 PM ^

Look who created the thread. The same guy posts in his own thread, trying to carry on the conversation. He didn't reply to anyone directly (except himself), which tells me this person has more than one account and forgot to log in to the other one to comment.

copacetic

September 14th, 2018 at 1:18 PM ^

Yeah I saw that. Seems more likely he was either trying to respond to one of the posts above (the one mentioning moral outrage) or all of the posts above. It makes sense in response to everyone disagreeing with him, it doesn't make sense in response to the original post. 

Seems like a bit of a stretch to assume that means multiple accounts imo.

Arb lover

September 14th, 2018 at 3:13 PM ^

Oh now I get your accusation and that it was me you referenced, thanks for the clarity. 

I posted in response to three different comments. While it was maybe lazy, I'm just trying to clarify the incident and provide local relevance. That said it's 100% obvious I was responding to comments based on what was written, unless you can find somewhere in the OP where I indicate it is not unusual for police to hang out for 45 minutes before taking action, etc.

TIMMMAAY

September 14th, 2018 at 7:09 PM ^

Because he couldn't cause the same kind of chaos and annoyance by just posting from his wd account. Plus, I think he wants to have a shred of reasonable doubt remaining that he can hide behind. It's win win for him, as insane as that is to think about. No matter what, he has degraded discourse here, pissed off the people he wanted to piss off, and (IMO) he gets to notch a "win" in his mind over Brian. 

I can't stress this enough; this is batshit insane. Full stop, straight jacket time. 

Blue@Petoskey

September 14th, 2018 at 11:38 AM ^

As a former resident of the EL area (or survivor if you may) and former Uber driver, I can tell you for certainty the police handle many of the parties the same way.  Sorry but not much to see here.

Bando Calrissian

September 14th, 2018 at 11:39 AM ^

Breaking news, sometimes college kids have loud parties. And often, local police understand that kids are kids.

This thread is precisely what we would mock if any other fanbase tried to pawn this off on a Michigan athlete.