Mayor Malik Announces Details on Use of Force Policy Review

Akron, Ohio, Dec. 13, 2024 - Today, Akron Mayor Shammas Malik is announcing the next steps in the city's use of force policy review. The city intends to work with the law firm Paul, Weiss and 21 CP Solutions, a policing consulting organization to facilitate a comprehensive review of the Akron Police Department's (APD's) use of force policy and related policies, trainings, accountability systems, and community perceptions of public safety. The team from Paul, Weiss will be led by former United States Attorney General Loretta Lynch. The firm will work closely with 21 CP Solutions as a consultant that specializes in helping cities and communities effectively tackle the challenges of delivering safe, effective, just, and constitutional public safety services. On Monday, Dec. 16, Mayor Malik, Council President Margo Sommerville, and Ward 4 Councilmember Jan Davis will jointly introduce legislation to Akron City Council to authorize this engagement. The proposed review is expected to take approximately five to six months.

The teams from Paul, Weiss and 21 CP Solutions will undertake a thorough review and assessment of the department's use of force and related policies and trainings in the City of Akron. The objective of the assessment will be to review APD's programs, policies, and practices related to use of force; assess if there are any inequities and disparate impacts resulting from the identified information; identify systems and practices for monitoring and tracking data and identifying trends; and build mutual trust between the community and APD. Part of the assessment will also include reviewing conclusions and progress from prior reports, including the 2011 Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) report, City Council's 2021 Reimagining Public Safety report, and the city's Racial Equity and Social Justice Task Force reports. They will not conduct an investigation of any particular incident or officers, but may review past incidents for context.

Following the review and engagement, the Paul, Weiss team will produce a set of recommendations for practical steps the City of Akron can take to address any issues that may be identified from the review.

This review will incorporate stakeholder engagement including interviews with APD leadership, the Akron Fraternal Order of Police union, and focus groups with rank-and-file officers. The engagement will also focus on the Akron community with community engagement sessions. Some sessions will be public, city-wide roundtables used to discuss perceptions, concerns, and suggestions for improvements, as well as rebuild community trust and APD transparency. Other sessions will be smaller listening sessions with a variety of stakeholders including the Citizens' Police Oversight Board and Police Auditor's Office.

Quotes

Akron Mayor Shammas Malik: "I believe this comprehensive review is the most consequential step we can take as a city in improving our policy, practices, and culture around use of force and how our department engages with residents. Paul, Weiss and 21 CP Solutions will bring unmatched expertise to the table. I want this process to involve all voices throughout our community - including our councilmembers, our Police Auditor's office and Citizens' Police Oversight Board, the Fraternal Order of Police union, civic groups, and more."

Council President Margo Sommerville: "I am encouraged by this undertaking. An objective and comprehensive review of our use of force policy is the first step in ensuring that we have a policing framework that represents best practices and ensures the safety of our residents, and the officers charged to protect and serve them. I look forward to the level of community engagement inherent to the review process. Elevating the voices of our community will foster trust and create a sense of shared ownership of proposed solutions."

Ward 3 Councilmember Jan Davis: "I'm excited to bring these experts here to our city to assist us with reviewing our use of force and other policies. This is an important step and one our community absolutely deserves to take part in. Their engagement will be vital throughout the review process."

Police Chief Brian Harding: "I look forward to working with the team from Paul, Weiss and 21 CP Solutions as we evaluate our department's policies and trainings as well as our community's perceptions of safety in Akron. I welcome robust dialogue and engagement during this review. Our department is always open to improvement and if this review finds area where we can be stronger as a department, we will aim to implement those recommendations."

Kemp Boyd, Chair of the Citizens' Police Oversight Board: "This review process really provides our city with an opportunity to take a deep dive look into our policing policies and practices. This review has also been recommended by our Police Auditor in several of his recent reports. Our board is looking forward to participating in this process and helping to strengthen areas in need of improvement and foster better relationships between the residents of Akron and the Akron Police Department."

Brian Lucey, Akron FOP President: "Our officers welcome an open dialogue in the upcoming review process. Their input will be critical in the evaluation of the Akron Police Department's policies and trainings, and they will undoubtedly have invaluable feedback to provide to this process. As a union, we're open to this policy review and the opportunity to engage with the consultant teams and the community."

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