Toledo Police K-9 bites man during traffic stop, department investigating

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – The Toledo Police Department has launched an investigation after a department K-9 bit a man during a traffic stop.

K-9s are trained to bite and they are considered a form of lethal force. But the man who was bitten said it’s not the dog’s fault, and believes the handlers need more training.

Toledo Police stopped Christopher Woods last week on Nebraska Avenue.

“It was kind of foggy that night, so I’m changing the lights and in between the lights to put on the brights, the lights shut off and they cut back on. I see the lights flicker behind me I pull over,” said Christopher Woods.

The 28-year-old man told the officer he’s licensed to carry and his gun was in the car. The officer asked whether there was anything illegal in the car.

“I tell them there’s no drugs in the car. He’s like, ‘We’re still going to let the K-9 come search or whatever,’” said Woods.

The officer removed the man’s firearm from the car. The TPD K-9 police dog sniffed around the truck.

You can see the dog jump up and Woods pull his hands back into the vehicle.

“I had my hands out the window where they could still see them because I told them I was licensed to carry. I didn’t want there to be any confusion. So, the dog makes a growling noise, jumps up and snags my right finger real quick. I tell the guy, ‘your dog bit me.’ He’s like still getting pulled by the dog like, ‘I know, I know.’ They carried on going around the car. With their animals, I feel like they need to learn how to control them,” said Woods.

Officers get Woods out of the car to look at the injury.

Officer: “Let me see.”

K-9 Handler: “Naw, it wasn’t that hand, it was this one.”

Woods: No, bruh, how you going to tell me what hand it was?

K-9 Handler: “Okay, I’m just saying it doesn’t look like your would have your …”

Woods: “I have two hands out the window like this. Two hands out the window soon as your dog come around.”

K-9 Handler: “Calm down, we are going to take care of it, man. Relax.”

Police pat Woods down and tell him the dog smelled an illegal narcotic in the vehicle. They search the truck.

Officer: “Future reference when they tell you a canine is walking around the car, you should probably put your hands inside the car.”

Woods: “Like I was telling him, I carry a firearm so even if you guys retrieve it, I just want make sure my hands are in sight.”

Officer: “I get that, but I’m just saying they told you…”

Woods: “I’ve never dealt with none of y’all crazy dogs before.”

TPD didn’t find anything in the truck and did not ticket Woods.

According to the body camera footage, the handler told his sergeant a similar incident happened not too long ago at a different traffic stop, but he was able to pull the dog away before she bit the driver.

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