COLERAIN TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WKRC) — A controversy is brewing over the police response to a dog attack in Colerain Township that left a woman injured.
Two dogs attacked Emily Rentschler in her neighborhood two weeks ago, and while the dogs have since been put down by animal control, her fiancé, Ryan Witko, expressed more anger at the police response than the attack itself.
Body camera footage from one of the nine Colerain Township police officers who responded on March 7 was released to Rentschler and Witko. In the video, Witko is heard saying, “I got my firearm—there are two of them.”
The footage showed the officer asking Witko to put away his handgun and help keep an eye out for the dogs, which were still on the loose after attacking Rentschler. As paramedics arrived to take Rentschler to the hospital, Witko yelled at the officers to shoot the dogs.
“We can’t just kill it. That’s not our job,” an officer said.
“He just tore my girlfriend up, man,” said Witko.
The situation escalated when the officer turned his attention from the dogs to Witko.
“Come here. Come here. Come here. Come here right now,” said the officer.
“You pull your weapon on me?” said Witko.
“I just want your gun. That’s all I want,” said the officer.
Witko then used abusive language, telling the officer that he “didn’t f****** have his gun” and that the officer should “go get that f****** dog and do his f****** job.”
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Witko later said he believed that the officer was trying to justify his actions, which Witko claims were unjustified, despite admitting he used abusive language.
“To have the barrel shoved in my face in that heat of that moment. I didn’t deserve to be treated that way,” Witko said.
The Colerain Township Police Department stated that it is investigating the officer’s actions. Witko plans to file a complaint and is considering suing the department for excessive force.
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