Jacksonville police address community response to arrest and use of force on 14-year-old suspect
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Jacksonville, FL - The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office released new body camera video showing the moments two teens were arrested after officers saw them attempting to break into cars.
The arrest happened around 2:45 a.m. on July 20 in the Greenfield Manor neighborhood, with one of the arrested being a 14-year-old. The teen suffered injuries after being bitten by a K-9 during the arrest, which is sparking a lot of conversations online about use of force regarding juveniles and K-9s.
According to JSO, officers responded to the neighborhood after reports that armed individuals were trying to break into cars. In the body camera video, you can hear car alarms go off, then you see an officer take off running behind a suspect, the 14-year-old, with a K-9.
In the video, the officer tells the K-9 to target and asks the suspect to stop before warning that the K-9 will bite.
JSO states that before the K-9 was released, the officer had seen the teen reaching towards his waistband, believing that he was reaching for a firearm.
Officers say the teen was treated on the scene by Jacksonville Fire and Rescue for his injuries before being transported to the hospital.
The 14-year-old is currently charged with 9 counts of armed robbery and 1 count of possession of a firearm by a minor. The other teen, a 15-year-old, was arrested after a brief pursuit by officers, the agency says.
First Coast News Crime and Safety Expert Ken Jefferson says there are no special rules for juveniles when it comes to the use of force.
"Before the K-9 is deployed on any type of suspect that's fleeing or hiding or whatever, they make an announcement that they're gonna let the K-9 go, they're gonna let him go," said Jefferson. "And if you let them go, that's what's going to happen. Now there's no special procedure specific for juveniles versus adults. Use of force is use of force."