Police dog allegedly attacks unarmed black man in front of his 9-year-old son

Body camera footage obtained by HuffPost shows a police dog brutally attacking an unarmed black man in front of his nine-year-old son during a traffic stop in Denison, Texas, last year.

Derrick Dunlap, 54, was stopped by police in Denison on May 25, 2023, while his son was with him. Dunlap’s attorneys say police reported he was stopped because the light above his license plate was too dim.

The footage shows an officer, identified by attorneys as Tyler Buchanan, getting out of the police car and saying “Here, here, here” to the dog while Dunlap’s child can be heard screaming in the background.

The dog is seen repeatedly biting Dunlap. Dunlap stands on a grassy area with his hands raised, trying to get away from the dog. Buchanan approaches him and yells “give me your hands” as he grabs Dunlap’s arm and pulls him to the ground as the dog continues to attack.

“Why did you tell him to bite me?” Dunlap asks the officer twice while lying face down and still being bitten.

“Give me your damn hand, man,” Buchanan can be heard telling Dunlap. Dunlap continues to scream in pain as Buchanan handcuffs him. “Oh my God, you’re doing this in front of my son,” Dunlap said.

Dunlap’s shirt is ripped open at this point, and when Buchanan shines a flashlight over his back, several bite marks are visible. At this point in the video, Dunlap’s son yells at Buchanan not to kill his father.

“I’m not going to kill him, I’m just going to come back,” Buchanan says.

Dunlap was taken to a hospital for treatment of his injuries. HuffPost has obtained photos of the incident that confirm Dunlap has bite marks in several places on his back. Dunlap still bears scars from the abuse, according to his attorney.

Denison police have never publicly acknowledged the incident. Dunlap filed a lawsuit against Buchanan in December, which the Dallas Morning News reported on in January.

Dunlap’s attorney told HuffPost he is working with Denison police to investigate the violent arrest. It is unclear whether Buchanan or anyone else at the police department was ever reprimanded.

“Tyler Buchanan betrayed his badge and code of ethics and should be held fully accountable for his wrongdoings,” civil rights attorney Daryl Washington said in a statement.

“What Tyler Buchanan did to Derrick was degrading and downright hateful.”

Washington, who represents Dunlap, added that problems with Denison police don’t always get attention because small-town culture discourages residents from voicing their complaints.

“They’re used to getting away with these things because nobody complains. In these smaller towns, that’s kind of what you expect,” Washington told HuffPost.

Denison police did not respond to requests for comment on the footage obtained or the lawsuit.

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