Akron’s Citizens’ Police Oversight board wanted to spend nearly $1 million this year to expand its capabilities and improve policy recommendations for the police department.
But when Mayor Shammas Malik introduced the city-wide operating budget Monday, that number was cut down to $544,352.
Board members did not see the new number until then, Board Chair Kemp Boyd said.
“The challenge, as we sit here today, is that we didn’t see a number until yesterday,” Boyd told city council members during a budget hearing Tuesday. “I wanted to make sure that I presented the number that we voted on as a board, because there was no time to call a meeting on a revised budget.”
The initial $965,871 budget proposal, which the board passed unanimously Jan. 29, was more than double last year’s budget of $414,000. Proposed new staff positions accounted for more than half of the increase, said police auditor Anthony Finnell.
Finnell wanted to hire a part-time data analyst to help with reviewing body camera footage, in addition to an executive assistant and a part-time intern, he said.
The board also wanted to spend more than $100,000 to purchase new case management software that would help the auditor’s office more efficiently log police reports and use-of-force incidents and $50,000 to hire independent legal counsel, Finnell said.
Instead, city officials moved the $100,000 software purchase into the mayor’s office budget because it is a one-time expenditure, said Finance Director Steve Fricker. They moved $50,000 for legal counsel into the law department’s budget.
The review board still wants an additional $35,000 to hire a part-time data analyst to help the police auditor’s office, which handles investigations into police misconduct and use-of-force incidents, Costa said. The analyst would help review body camera footage and police reports, Finnell added.
The city finance department, however, wants to wait, Fricker said.
“I want us to wait until that software is actually in place until we look at hiring additional staff,” Fricker said. “I think that our IT staff can help with the development of some of those things.”
Costa appreciates the suggestion but added a dedicated analyst to the auditor’s office is still preferred, he said.
“I think that's a little different than having a dedicated individual who doesn't have demands on their times and who, that we can steer and direct the work to the extent that we would like,” Costa said.
Council members debated the budget request Tuesday during the first day of its operating budget hearings.
Some council members expressed concerns about increasing the board’s budget because it has limited powers. The board provides recommendations about policy changes but does not have disciplinary authority.
“It sounds like it’s time to have a conversation to either go back to the voters with a revised plan or talk to this council about potentially helping to give the oversight board some teeth,” Ward 4 Councilmember Jan Davis said.
Costa acknowledged the limited powers but said the data analyst will help with recommendations.
“If we've got, you know, robust data systems, then we can better identify trends,” Costa said. “These are things that will help us to come up with policy recommendations to council, which is very much all that we can do, to help advance the work.”
Councilmember Linda Omobien wants council to find $35,000 in the budget to fund the data analyst position. Other council members said they will consider adding the additional funds but will have to make tough choices as they hear proposals from other city departments this week.
“I know you’ve got to do your work, but I’m not so sure that’s what the voters signed up for,” Lombardo said.
Council must pass the operating budget by the end of March.
