Broken Arrow Police Chief Lance Arnold was placed on paid leave Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2026, over what City Manager Michael Spurgeon called "operational concerns" within the police department.
Spurgeon said matters involving police operations were brought to Assistant City Manager Norm Stephens in late September. Stephens flagged the concerns to Spurgeon, who then reviewed them with Assistant City Manager Kenneth Schwab and the city's attorneys before deciding to act, the Broken Arrow Sentinel reported.
An outside investigator will handle the probe rather than the department's own Internal Affairs division. Spurgeon declined to name the investigator but said the person was recommended by the city's special counsel for personnel matters.
Spurgeon would not specify what the concerns involve. He told KTUL the matter relates to events from September and is not connected to Arnold's work at any previous police department. When asked whether the matter involved misuse of money or equipment, Spurgeon said he could not provide specifics because doing so could compromise the investigation.
"I have not pre-judged this in any way," Spurgeon told the Sentinel, adding that he removed himself from the process and will make a determination after reviewing the investigation's results.
Deputy Chief Scott Bennett has been named acting chief.
Spurgeon expressed confidence in Bennett, noting he served in the same role for several months between the retirement of former Chief Brandon Berryhill and Arnold's arrival in January 2025. Arnold was informed of the decision Wednesday morning during a meeting with Stephens, according to KTUL. He became Broken Arrow's 10th police chief in January 2025 after serving as police chief in Weatherford, Texas, and spending 20 years with the Norman Police Department, 2 News Oklahoma reported.
The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 170, which represents rank-and-file Broken Arrow officers, issued a statement Wednesday, Oct. 14, backing Arnold. The union praised his leadership, citing progress in accountability and technology adoption since his arrival.
Lodge 170 also criticized how the city handled the announcement. Officers received no advance notice and learned about the leave at the same time as the public and news media, the union said. The timing drew particular scrutiny: Arnold had organized a gathering of northeastern Oklahoma law enforcement leaders that morning, a meeting he could no longer attend.
The union said it respects the investigation process and does not prejudge its outcome. It also said no city representative was present to reassure officers after the announcement.
Once the investigation is complete, results will go to Stephens and the city's legal department, then to Spurgeon. He said he would update the City Council and the public when appropriate, based on advice from the city's attorneys. As of Oct. 14, the city had not announced a completion timeline.
