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Resident alleges excessive force by Reynoldsburg officer at football game; mayor says investigation underway
Summary
Resident Leah Dotson told the Reynoldsburg City Council she filed a formal complaint after an interaction between Officer Ryan Kiser and students at a football game, calling the officer’s behavior 'extremely disproportionate.' The mayor and the police chief said an investigation is underway and invited council members to view bodycam footage.
Leah Dotson, a Reynoldsburg resident, told the council she filed a formal complaint with the Reynoldsburg Police Department after an incident at a recent high‑school football game in which she said Officer Ryan Kiser singled out and confronted Black students and behaved toward her and the students in a manner she called 'extremely disproportionate.'
Dotson said she sought to model the behavior she encourages in students—speaking up and taking a stand—and asked the council to take the complaint seriously, saying she believed the interaction could be part of a pattern and could lead to 'tragic consequences' if unchecked. 'I filed a report, a complaint, a formal complaint with the police department,' Dotson told the council, and asked that leaders review the complaint and the department’s response.
Mayor Begney said the matter is under investigation and that he and the chief of police had reviewed the bodycam footage. 'This process has now begun an investigation,' the mayor said, and invited council members and school‑board members who have not seen the video to come and review it.
Chief Baker told the committee and council that the department will investigate the complaint but noted Officer Ryan Kiser has served the Reynoldsburg community for more than 25 years and urged the public to view the footage and form their own opinion. 'I have an open door policy,' the chief said, and he invited council members to compare what they see on video with statements that have been made publicly.
The council did not take formal action on the complaint at the meeting; the mayor said staff will follow the investigation process and that the city will be in contact with Dotson regarding the outcome.
Why it matters: The complaint raises concerns about officer conduct at school events, bodycam evidence is available for review, and council and staff said they will monitor the investigation and report back to the resident and the public.
