Utah Officer Faces Charges Following UOF Incident Involving K-9Screen grab of news report.
An officer with the Salt Lake City Police Department faces charges of aggravated assault stemming from an April 2020 incident in which he allegedly ordered his K-9 to bite a subject who was reportedly compliant with commands to get on the ground and raise his hands.
According to USA Today, Officer Nickolas Pearce and a K-9 are seen in body-worn camera video footage—released last month—approaching 36-year-old Jeffery Ryans in his backyard in response to a call for service about a domestic dispute.
The Salt Lake City Police Department said in a statement, "Both will be evaluated and taken into account as the Department is finalizing its Internal Affairs Investigation. If Internal Affairs finds that Officer Pearce committed a policy violation, the Chief's Office will follow the disciplinary process required under state and federal law."
