Officer fired amid investigations after K-9 use-of-force, custody death
By Holly Lehren
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CLARKSVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) — A Clarksville police officer has been fired following an internal investigation into a K-9 use-of-force incident earlier this summer.
The investigation followed the June 29 arrest of 34-year-old Darius Chappell outside a Dutch Bros. store on Fort Campbell Boulevard. Chappell died several days later while in custody at the Montgomery County Jail.
The Clarksville Police Department said Officer Deering was no longer employed by the department as of Sept. 1 after CPD completed its internal investigation and disciplinary process.
Video of Chappell’s arrest circulated widely on social media and showed several officers trying to take him into custody. A police K-9 was deployed and appeared to bite Chappell while officers held him on the ground. About a minute later, an officer pulled the dog away.
After the incident, CPD said the officer involved had been placed on administrative leave while the department conducted its internal investigation.
Chappell was found unresponsive in his jail cell during a routine security check around 3 a.m. July 3. He was taken to Vanderbilt of Clarksville, where he was pronounced dead.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation is investigating Chappell’s death. His cause of death has not been released.
CPD said the internal investigation and resulting personnel actions were handled in accordance with departmental policy, city code and personnel procedures.
Because the TBI investigation remains ongoing, the department said it will not release additional information at this time.
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