PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. — Prince George County Police Chief Keith Early defended one of his officers after a YouTube video showing the officer detaining a man for trespassing went viral, garnering more than 100,000 views in 24 hours.
The video, posted Oct. 9 by the YouTube channel LackLuster, shows an interaction between a Prince George County police officer and a man identified as Ruheem that took place Aug. 22 outside a private business.
The 15-minute video begins when Ruheem approached the officer, who was parked outside the business working an overtime assignment.
The narrator of the video indicated Ruheem questioned why the officer was there. The officer explained he was working overtime to protect people in the building.
"They have us doing overtime assignment," the officer said in the video. "You need anything?"
When the officer asked Ruheem why he was there, Ruheem said he had business at the location.
When pressed for more information, Ruheem replied, "That ain't none of your business."
The officer then exited his car and handcuffed Ruheem for trespassing.
According to Early's statement, the officer was working an overtime detail at a private manufacturing business that is not open to the public due to safety concerns and threats of violence. The parking lot was clearly posted with "No Trespassing" signs, and company policy requires visitors to enter through the front entrance and report to security.
"As we should expect, the video does not contain all the facts surrounding the incident in question. I want to start by stating that I support this officer’s actions," his statement read. "In my view, this officer’s actions were lawful. This officer is a good officer, a good person, and he serves the community of Prince George very well. I along with our entire Team appreciate him."
Watch: Chief supports officer after video goes viral
The chief then laid the facts as he knew them:
- On August 22, 2025, one of our officers was working an overtime assignment, or extra-duty detail, at a local, private business – not Walmart. This business manufactures products and is not open to the public - the business is private property.
- The Prince George Police Department was contracted to work overtime or extra-duty because of safety concerns, threats of violence, and related concerns about unauthorized people being on the property.
- The parking lot is clearly posted “No Trespassing.” You must drive by this sign as you are entering this private property.
- Visitors have designated parking spaces at the front of the business for deliveries, etc. Company policy requires visitors to enter the employee entrance door at the front of the building and report to the security station. This individual that was handcuffed by our officer was in the back of the parking lot.
- Company policy prohibits employees from having visitors unless there is an emergency. The individual that was handcuffed by our officer was aware of this company policy.
- The detained individual was advised by our officer that he was on private property; he was asked by our officer if he needed assistance; he was asked by our officer “what business do you have here?” - the individual replied, “that is none of your business.” The reason we were present on this private property, posted no trespassing, made it our business – our officer was there to protect people.
- Our officer placed the individual in handcuffs detaining him for trespassing. The individual was later released from custody and banned from the property. He was only released from detention because management was satisfied with only banning him from the property moving forward. Virginia State Code 18.2-119 defines trespass – the individual detained was trespassing.
The LackLuster YouTube channel, which posts videos of law enforcement interactions with the public, describes its mission as keeping "ALL public officials accountable."
"Watch them closer than they watch us," the channel posted in its description. "Freedom survives only when government fears the people."
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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