Akron’s Citizens’ Police Oversight Board reviewed 310 use of force cases and complaints in 2025, according to the board’s annual report released Thursday. However, the report also outlines the challenges the board is still facing nearly three years after its first meeting.
The board was passed by voters as a charter amendment in 2022 in response to the police fatal shooting of Jayland Walker. The board is tasked with independently reviewing citizen complaints and use of force incidents within the Akron Police Department, identifying systemic issues and issuing findings and recommendations to the mayor and city council.
In 2025, the board concurred with the findings of APD investigations 90.7% of the time. The board concurred and issued recommendations 6.2% of the time and did not concur 3.3% of the time. However, the board still shared concerns about recurring issues in the department, including training consistency, documentation practices and accountability mechanisms…