Sag Harbor, a ritzy town in Suffolk County, New York, witnessed an incident involving pop superstar Justin Timberlake and rookie police officer Michael Arkinson. Arkinson, who is turning 24 this month, gained notoriety among the wealthy residents of Sag Harbor due to his strict enforcement of traffic laws. Nicknamed “the Sag Harbor Nazi” and “little red-headed dips–t,” Arkinson has been known for his unwavering commitment to upholding traffic regulations.
On Tuesday morning, Arkinson pulled over Justin Timberlake after allegedly observing him blow a stop sign and swerve in the right lane. Despite Timberlake’s global fame, Arkinson, who was not even born when Timberlake rose to prominence with NSync in 1995, was unaware of the celebrity he was dealing with. By the time Timberlake’s hit song “Bye Bye Bye” topped the charts in 2000, Arkinson was just a toddler.
This incident is not the first time Arkinson’s strict approach has drawn criticism. Spencer, a writer from Shelter Island, recounted an unpleasant encounter with Arkinson while searching for a parking spot in Sag Harbor and making a U-turn. Spencer expressed surprise at being pulled over, considering it was the off-season and no one was around. He described the incident as a “d–khead move” and felt that Arkinson had targeted him unnecessarily.
Spencer’s previous run-in with Arkinson was equally frustrating. Pulled over for talking on his cell phone, Spencer argued that he was using speakerphone. However, Arkinson issued him a $145 ticket, insisting he should have been using Bluetooth. Spencer believed that Timberlake had fallen victim to the over-aggressive Sag Harbor police, stating that he expected leniency but was met with an interruption to his workout and lunch plans.
A long-time Sag Harbor resident recalled Arkinson’s early days as a traffic control officer, known as a “brownie,” before he joined the police force. The resident mentioned that everyone in town knew where the police officers would park on Main Street. The resident also understood Arkinson’s lack of knowledge regarding Timberlake’s fame, stating that if the singer’s music wasn’t to his taste, it would be reasonable not to recognize him.
Arkinson, standing at 6-foot-4, played lacrosse during his time at Southampton High School and Roger Williams University. He began as a part-time traffic control officer in 2017, earning less than $15 an hour, before becoming a full-time Sag Harbor officer in March 2024. The annual salary for Sag Harbor PD officers is approximately $70,000.
According to Arkinson’s report, Timberlake performed poorly on all standardized field sobriety tests, exhibited signs of alcohol consumption, displayed unsteady balance, and had slow speech. Timberlake claimed to have consumed only one martini and was following his friends home. However, he refused to take a breathalyzer test three times, leading to his arrest and transportation to Sag Harbor Police Department Headquarters.
Timberlake pleaded not guilty in Sag Harbor Village Court on Tuesday and was released on bail by his lawyer, Eddie Burke. The pop star left the Hamptons on Wednesday to prepare for his upcoming concert in Chicago on Friday night. The case is scheduled to return to court on July 26, but Timberlake is not required to be present.
