CANTON ‒ A fired Canton police officer has won his legal effort to be reinstated to his old job and get back pay for his 2024 termination.

City officials on Sept. 9 released an arbitrator's ruling siding in favor of fired K9 officer Nicholas Casto.

Safety Director Andrea Perry fired Casto in June 2024, citing five violations of police department rules and policies when Casto used his police dog to arrest a man on May 30, 2024, in the 1100 block of 16th Street NW. Police Chief John Gabbard had previously recommended firing Casto .

Videos released by police of the arrest show Casto and his dog, Scooby, responding to other officers' calls for help to control a growing crowd that was surrounding them as they arrested two teenagers for a traffic stop.

The officers had one man lying

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