WANTED: A strong police leader with a track record of preventing and addressing crime while building police-community relations and trust.
The ideal candidate should be knowledgeable about the socio-economic issues facing Akron or similarly sized Midwest cities with similar demographics.
Must possess a proven ability to attract and retain a diverse police force that is reflective of the community they serve.
Determining who should become Akron’s next police chief is one of the most important decisions Mayor Shammas Malik will make in his first year in office.
Now is a critical time for repairing police-community relations after several tumultuous years that included the fatal shooting of Jayland Walker by officers in 2022, followed by widespread protests and calls for police reform.
There have been some costly missteps that can hopefully be avoided with new leadership.
Just this month, the city agreed to pay $747,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by 24 protesters and bystanders who accused the Akron police of unlawful arrests during demonstrations following Walker’s death.