LANSING, Mich. – Disturbing video of an arrest near Lansing has led to criminal charges against a state trooper over how he handled his police dog.
Parker Surbrook joined the Michigan State Police in 2012 and worked his way up to becoming a K-9 handler.
A prosecutor determined Surbrook crossed a line during an arrest in November 2020. An internal investigation was launched after Subrook’s supervisor saw the dashcam video.
The dashcam footage shows Surbook’s K-9 was on the suspect for more than 3 and a half minutes while the man pleaded for the trooper to pull the dog off.
When the incident took place, Surbrook was part of a multi-jurisdictional task force. He was following a vehicle in Lansing where police believe a passenger was armed. When the driver crashed his car into a tree, Surbrook deployed his K-9.
With the police dog on the driver, both troopers rushed toward the passenger.
With neither suspect handcuffed, Surbrook repeatedly asks for backup.
The driver pleads for Surbrook to remove the dog and said his leg is broken. According to MSP, the driver had fractured his hip.
Minutes later, backup arrives.
After reviewing the video, Surbrook was charged with one count of felonious assault.
Surbrook is on an unpaid suspension and was removed from the K-9 unit. The police dog was reassigned to another handler.
You can read the MSP incident report here.