The Circleville Police Department is reviewing the actions of a police officer who released a K-9 and ordered it to attack an unarmed Black man who was surrendering to police after leading them on a multi-county chase on July 4.
Circleville Public Safety Director Douglas Debord said a review of the incident involving the Circleville Police K9 unit is currently being conducted by the city's Use of Force Review Board. He said with the incident being under review, no further information can be released at this time.
Police arrested Jadarrius Rose, 23, of Tennessee who they said was speeding in a semi-truck on state Routes 23 and 35 when police attempted to pull him over. Rose was taken into custody and troopers immediately provided first aid and contacted EMS to respond.
Rose was charged with failure to comply, a fourth-degree felony, in Ross County where the police chase originated.
The Circleville officer handling the K-9 is identified as Ryan Speakman.
Circleville Police Chief G. Shawn Baer said in a news release that Speakman has been placed on paid administrative leave as the city investigates his actions.
Baer said once the city's Use of Force Review Board is finished with its investigation, the city will release results and any further action taken. He said the city does not plan to comment further.
"We take all such incidents and the actions of our officers very seriously," Baer said.
Ohio State Highway Patrol Lieutenant Nathan Dennis provided WOSU with 40 minutes of body camera and dash-camera footage that was requested by the Scioto Valley Guardian news website earlier this week.
"This case remains under investigation and the patrol is unable to provide any further details at this time," Dennis said.
The video first showed OSHP and other local law enforcement pursuing the semi-truck with a Western Express trailer on state Route 35 to the west of Chillicothe and onto state Route 23. The truck pulled over at least once but sped off again shortly after despite officers yelling at the driver to exit the vehicle and pointing guns at the truck.
Dennis said in an email that troopers attempted to stop Rose's semi-truck but the commercial vehicle failed to stop for an inspection. Dennis said after a lengthy pursuit through multiple counties, the police deployed stop sticks and the truck came to a stop.
After the vehicle stopped in Pickaway County, the released footage switched to the body camera footage of an unnamed state trooper. The trooper approached the scene and was told over radio that Circleville Police Department arrived on the scene with a K-9 officer.
Rose is seen standing outside the truck stopped on Route 23 with his hands up as the Circleville officers exited their squad car across the highway median. A state trooper yelled "That's a dog. Come to me. You don't want bit."
After the trooper said this, a Circleville officer further away can be heard giving a conflicting order and said "Get on the ground or you're going to get bit."
The state trooper who had the body camera rolling started talking and said "do not release the dog with his hands up" as Rose clearly had his hands up in the air.
The Circleville officer handling the dog repeated his order and then started approaching with the K-9. The K-9 was released and first ran towards the highway patrol officers until the handler redirected it towards Rose.
The state trooper gradually increased the volume of his voice and started to shout "do not release the dog with his hands up."
The dog turned back to its handler and the handler shouted something and pointed to Rose. The dog lunged at Rose and bit his arm and took Rose to the ground. Rose started screaming and the state troopers start yelling to "get the dog off of him."
Rose screamed in pain as the dog attacked him and one female trooper walked away with her hands covering her mouth in shock.
"Please, get it off," Rose screamed.
After the dog is removed, the troopers and police officers continued to make the arrest and provided first aid to Rose.
Rose asks the officers arresting him why they released the dog and ordered it to attack him.
"You just let the dog bite me," Rose said.
The officer responded that Rose just had to listen to his commands.
Dennis said OSHP is still investigating the pursuit but declined to answer a question about whether OSHP was investigating the Circleville police officer.
Rose's attorney Benjamin Partee declined to comment on the case.
WOSU submitted a records request seeking information on the case and internal review from Circleville Police Department.
