As Akron's new mayor Shammas Malik starts the process of hiring a new police chief, some residents believe the best candidate is already employed by the city.
During a town hall meeting Thursday, several attendees called for the mayor to hire from within the Akron Police Department. The speakers were met with applause from dozens of other attendees.
One individual dressed up as Chase, the police dog in the children’s television show ‘Paw Patrol,’ and held up a sign calling for officials to hire an internal candidate to save taxpayers' money.
The administration is conducting a national search and considering both internal and external candidates, Malik said during the meeting.
“There are going to be internal candidates, and I think that that’s important. We’re going to accept every application,” Malik said.
The city has spent roughly $55,000 to contract with national firm Ralph Anderson & Associates for the search, Malik said. City officials worked with the firm during the search for the previous chief, Steve Mylett.
Malik hosted the town hall meeting at Garfield Community Learning Center to gather feedback from residents about the police chief search.
Several attendees asked Malik to narrow the search to just internal candidates, saying there are qualified officers already in the department.
When asked if he knew of any current APD officers interested in serving as chief, Malik said there are at least two people, but he wouldn’t comment further.
Former chief Steve Mylett retired Jan. 1 after serving more than 2 years in Akron. Malik named Deputy Chief Brian Harding the acting chief until the position is filled.
One attendee asked if Malik would consider Harding for the job.
“I agree that Acting Police Chief Harding is qualified to do this work, and, certainly, he’s welcome to apply,” Malik said.
An internal candidate would already be familiar with the city, said Akron resident Jason Johnson, who works with local animal rescue group Rubber City Rescue.
“They’re folks that know Akron. They know the streets; they know what’s going on, and they know what needs to be done,” Johnson said. “I would request that we keep it internal, within the department.”
Other residents called for the next chief to prioritize community policing. Several people brought up negative experiences they said they’ve had with Akron police officers.
Improving relations between community members and the police department has been top of mind for many in Akron after the fatal police shooting of Jayland Walker in 2022.
Walker, a 25-year-old Black man, fired a gun during a car chase with police but was unarmed when officers shot him 46 times during a foot chase, according to the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation. A grand jury declined to indict the officers on any charges, and the former police chief, Mylett, cleared the officers of wrongdoing following an internal investigation.
Mylett led the department through months of protests and an increasingly frayed relationship between the police and the community following Walker’s death.
Mylett's decision to not release the names of the eight officers involved in Walker's death, letting the officers return to work and allowing officers to remove nametags was criticized by the public, including Malik.
Community policing and building trust and relationships with residents are two of Malik’s biggest priorities for the next chief, Malik said during the Jan. 11 town hall.
Malik’s top priorities for the next chief also include prior experience managing a large police organization and a strong sense of integrity and honesty, he said in his presentation.
Meeting attendees filled out a survey, and the Akron Police Department will be given an internal survey to fill out as well, Malik’s chief of strategy Nanette Pitt said. Akron residents can fill out the survey online or pick one up from any of Akron’s community centers, she added.
The administration plans to hold two additional town hall meetings in the coming months as the candidates are narrowed down.
It plans to select the chief within three to five months.
