CIRCLEVILLE, Ohio — Officer Ryan Speakman of the Circleville Police Department has been terminated from his position following a controversial K9 apprehension incident on July 4. The incident involved the deployment of a police service dog named Serg onto an unarmed black man, Jadarrius Rose, who was actively surrendering after a high-speed chase involving a semi-truck. The incident has sparked outrage and garnered widespread attention, with even the White House taking notice.
The bodycam footage, which was released by the Highway Patrol last week, captured the moment when Rose stopped the semi along route 23 and voluntarily surrendered to state troopers. With his hands in the air, Rose was complying with the troopers’ commands. However, as the Circleville Police K9 unit arrived at the scene, Officer Speakman unleashed the dog, leading to a chaotic situation where conflicting commands were being yelled at Rose. The dog was eventually redirected by Speakman and ordered to attack Rose, who was on his knees, still complying with instructions.
The video of the incident went viral and has been covered extensively by various news outlets, both nationally and internationally. Even the White House addressed the incident, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stating that President Joe Biden had been briefed on the matter. The President’s administration expressed concern and acknowledged the ongoing investigation into the incident.
In response to the public outcry, the Circleville Police Department and the town’s mayor released a statement announcing an excessive force review of the attack. The police chief says he impaneled a review board about the use of excessive force once the story took off. The situation has been further complicated by conflicting statements from the city, with an earlier email exchange suggesting that the initial use of force investigation had cleared Officer Speakman of any wrongdoing. However, the city now claims that a review board was impaneled to reexamine the incident.
“Our investigation included the Circleville Police Use of Force Review Board determination that the department’s policy for the use of canines was followed in the apprehension and arrest,” the Chief of Police released in a statement on department letterhead. “It’s important to understand that the Review Board is charged only with determining whether an employee’s actions in the use of force incident were within department policies and procedures. The Review Board does not have the authority to recommend discipline.”
The statement added that Serg and the other K9 the department has will be sent for additional training.
“Further, Shallow Creek Kennels Inc., the Pennsylvania-based police service dog training facility that trained the dog involved in this incident, affirmed that its training protocols were followed. Circleville’s canines are being sent to Shallow Creek for evaluation and annual training. Shallow Creek Kennels training protocols are standard for service dogs deployed by the U.S. military, police departments, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and scores of police departments across the U.S. and Canada.”
Jadarrius Rose, the unarmed man at the center of the incident, has been charged with failing to comply with a police officer. Prosecutors have indicated that additional charges may be filed against him. However, the K9 attack is not expected to have any bearing on the prosecution for the initial chase.
In the wake of the incident, the Black Lives Matter movement has organized a protest in Circleville, with more than 8,000 people expressing interest in attending the demonstration. The incident has highlighted the ongoing issues of police use of force and racial bias, leading to calls for greater accountability and improved police training nationwide.
The Department of Justice has acknowledged the incident but has not released further information at this time. Ohio Governor Mike DeWine called for additional training for police officers in media interviews this week about the incident.
As the investigation continues, the nation waits for answers and potential actions to address the concerns raised by this disturbing incident. It remains unknown if Speakman will face local, state, or federal charges.