Amarillo Police are responding to public concern after a recently leaked security camera video appears to show an APD officer kicking a police dog during a traffic stop.

This week, a video surfaced on social media, which has now been viewed more than 7,000 times in its original form, appearing to show an officer kicking a police dog. The alleged kick appeared to happen during a traffic stop near 10th Avenue and occurred as the dog was being taken back to a vehicle by an officer. It was confirmed by APD that the video was taken shortly after midnight on December 30, 2019.

Amarillo Police released a statement on Thursday addressing concerns from the public about the video. According to APD, two investigations have been launched following the video’s release. First, APD says Internal Affairs is investigating to determine if the officer violated any internal policies or procedures. A criminal investigation detective is also expected to review the alleged incident and could lead the APD to refer a case to the Municipal Court for a Class C misdemeanor.

APD also says the police dog has been removed from his handler’s residence during the investigation and has been placed with a K9 Unit supervisor. The dog does not appear to have suffered any injuries, but will be examined by a veterinarian, APD reports.