K-9 Officer Suspended After Unarmed Trucker Attacked by Police Dog
An Ohio K-9 officer has been placed on administrative leave following an incident earlier this month in which a police dog attacked an unarmed commercial truck driver who had already surrendered after a chase. The Circleville Police Department’s five-member Use of Force Review Board is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The incident took place on July 4 on a southern Ohio highway when officers attempted to pull over Jadarrius Rose, a 23-year-old truck driver from Memphis, Tennessee, for a missing mud flap. Rose failed to stop for an inspection, resulting in a three-county chase. Video footage obtained by news outlets shows Officer Ryan Speakman, the handler of the police dog named Serg, being repeatedly warned by sergeants to control the dog if Rose surrendered peacefully.
Rose complied with the officers’ commands, raising his hands in the air. However, despite the warnings to hold the dog back, Speakman released Serg, a 4-year-old Belgian Malinois-Shepherd, who immediately attacked and pulled Rose to the ground, biting his arm. Troopers at the scene yelled for the dog to be removed from Rose, while maintaining their attempts to gain Rose’s compliance.
The video footage captured the dog maintaining its grip on Rose for over 30 seconds before being called off. Authorities quickly provided medical aid to Rose and called for EMS assistance. Rose, understandably distressed, can be heard questioning why he was bitten by the dog. Speakman, the 29-year-old officer, has been placed on leave pending the completion of the review board’s investigation.
While the Circleville Police Department’s statement did not mention any potential disciplinary action against Speakman, the incident report by the Ohio State Highway Patrol identifies him as the handler responsible for deploying the canine. Ohio State Highway Patrol Sgt. Ryan E. Purpura affirmed that the Circleville Police Department’s use of the canine resulted in Rose being bitten.
Circleville Mayor Donald McIlroy confirmed that Serg has been kenneled and may be sent to a training center in Pennsylvania in the future. McIlroy expects the review board’s investigation to conclude by the end of the week or early next week. He emphasized that this is the first time such an incident has occurred and that the review board will guide any subsequent actions.
The incident has drawn attention publically, with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledging the horrific nature of the incident and confirming an ongoing investigation. As the investigations continue, it remains to be seen what consequences, if any, Officer Speakman may face, and how law enforcement agencies will address the use of force and protocols involving police dogs.
