STOCKTON — A disturbing video of a police arrest involving a K-9 is raising questions whether it’s a case of excessive force.
The minute-long video shows a Stockton K-9’s jaws locked on a suspect’s arm as he is yelling for help.
Josh Walker captured it on his cellphone.
“The person was like, ‘I’m not even doing nothing I was just trying to get gas’ and the dog just attacked him,” he said.
He was putting gas in his car at a nearby station when he heard the commotion.
“It was kind of scary because how he was just letting the dog just bite him like that and the guy wasn’t even doing nothing,” he said. “I thought the dog was about to rip his arm off.”
Stockton Police spokesman Joe Silva says the man on the ground was a suspect they believe had burglarized a home in the Weston Ranch neighborhood earlier in the day.
“All indications are showing that the officer and the dog did exactly what they are trained to do,” he said. “The officer pulled over the vehicle at which time the driver immediately got out and would not comply with the officers orders.”
Silva says the first officer who arrived on scene was alone and let the dog restrain the man for his own safety while he searched for weapons. Silva says the officer found a knife in the suspect’s pocket.
Walker, who recorded the incident, says he understands it was a dangerous situation for the officer, but he still thinks the officers’ actions were excessive.
“I understand from the police’s point of view, too, but at the same time he could have handled that in a different way though, instead of siccing the dog on him,” he said.
Emery Allen, 22, was treated for dog bites to his left arm and shoulder and he’s still in jail.
Stockton Police say policy was followed and both the officer and K-9 are back on the streets.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IQ3GWMhEck&ab_channel=YoungWalker
