An effort to expand the hiring pool for police and fire chiefs in Akron may have hit a snag, as several city council members Monday expressed hesitation about putting a charter change before voters.
Last week, Mayor Shammas Malik proposed a charter amendment that would explicitly allow the city to consider external candidates for the top roles in the police and fire department, as well as deputy chiefs. If approved by city council, it would go before voters in the Nov. 5 election.
Some city council members wanted to take more time and get more public input on the amendment, while others worried it would deny opportunities for internal candidates.
“I’m just asking that we don’t rush it,” Council President Margo Sommerville said during council's rules committee meeting Monday.
Sommerville referenced a voter-approved charter change in 2022 that created the Citizens’ Police Oversight Board. It took almost a year for the board to get its rules approved due to disagreements between board members, city council members and police union officials about the extent of the board’s power.
“There’s some things that weren’t clearly spelled out in the charter that need to be addressed, and so I just caution us rushing to create new problems when we have not addressed the old,” Sommerville said.
Councilmember Phil Lombardo called it a “slap in the face” to employees who work in the department and might be interested in applying.
“I’ll be honest, I think it’s a slap in the face to our men and women that put their life on the line and want to lead their city, take it to another level,” Lombardo said.
The council members spoke after four members of the committee that developed the amendment gave a presentation in council’s rules committee: Willa Keith, a retired community liaison officer in the police department; Heather Pollock, an assistant professor at the University of Akron, and State Sen. Vernon Sykes and State Rep. Veronica Sims.
The main reason for the proposal is to diversify the pool of candidates, Keith said.
“The last promotions for Captain, Lieutenant and Deputy Chief were all white men. And if we don't change the system of how we promote, how we prepare our officers so we have a fair chance at promotion, it will take 15 years until we get that diverse pool,” Keith said.
Regardless of how council members might personally feel about the proposal, the committee is merely asking members to give the voters a choice, Sykes said.
“We’re not asking for a guarantee. This is just the opportunity to seek to obtain a diverse pool,” Sykes said. “We’re not asking for you to approve a policy. We’re just asking you to allow the people, the citizens of Akron, to vote, to determine if they would like a policy like this in the city of Akron.”
Two at-large council members, Eric Garrett and Linda Omobien, spoke in support of the amendment.
The amendment is “not perfect,” Garrett said, but he plans to support it because he has spoken with some members of the safety forces who “are comfortable with it,” he said.
“We understand that this is not a perfect piece of legislation, but it’s good for those individuals that see fit with it,” Garrett said.
Councilmember Brad McKitrick did not say whether he would support it but asked to see the legal advice given to the mayor that shows he cannot hire external candidates.
The proposal to put the charter amendment before voters this fall needs nine council members – two-thirds of council - to vote in favor in order for it to pass, according to the legislation.
Council voted to take additional time to consider the proposal. To appear on the November ballot, it must be approved before September.
Council takes a recess in August.
