K-9 released on trucker; Ohio officer now on leave
Ohio police officer Ryan Speakman has been placed on administrative leave after releasing a K-9 on an unarmed truck driver during a pursuit on July 4, according to WSYX-TV.
Dash and bodycam footage of the incident was recently made public by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
The Columbus, Ohio television station said according to police reports, Jadarrius Rose, the driver of the truck, failed to stop after an officer signaled for him to pull over on U.S. Highway 35, and led troopers on the chase through Chillicothe, Ohio before stopping in Circleville, Ohio.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol said they first tried to stop the semi because it was missing a mud flap and failed to stop for an inspection.
Upon stopping, Rose appeared to surrender to officers with his hands above his head before the K-9 was released by Circleville officer Speakman.
Ohio State Troopers can be heard on the footage telling Speakman to “Do not release the dog with his hands up,” and “Get the dog off him.”
Circleville Mayor Don McIlroy told the Ohio ABC affiliate Speakman has been on leave since at least July 20, and that this was not the first time the officer has faced disciplinary action.
In addition to the footage, a 911 call made by Rose from his truck during the chase has also been released. A portion of that call was published by the Ohio television outlet.
“Right now I have police officers following me for a long time and I am trying to figure out why they have their guns pulled out,” Rose said to a dispatcher. “I am just a truck driver. I was about to comply with them but they all had their guns drawn out. There are like 20 police cars behind me. I don’t feel safe.”
Circleville Police say the incident is being investigated by the Use of Force Review Board, made up of five community members.
McIlroy indicated that the review could be completed by the end of this week or early next week.
“It saddens me that in 2023 we have officers who are unleashing dogs on a person who clearly had his hands in the air,” Nana Watson, president of the NAACP Columbus Chapter, said in a statement. “That did not matter to the Circleville Police Department.” LL