A controversial Akron Police Department policy is coming to an end.
The department has allowed officers to remove their name tags since July 2022, after the fatal police shooting of Jayland Walker.
That directive ends in March, Mayor Shammas Malik announced in a press release Thursday.
“The decision to reinstate the use of name badges for our officers was made by former Chief Mylett and is supported by my administration and the current Akron Police Department leadership,” Malik said in the release. “This is an important move to grow trust and transparency between our residents and the police department who serves them.”
Former Police Chief Steve Mylett initially instituted the policy due to “concerns for officers’ safety” following Walker’s death. In a July 2022 press conference, Mylett said “bounties” had been “placed on officers’ heads.”
Residents and community activists criticized the policy, calling for transparency. The city’s former police auditor, Phil Young, told the Citizens’ Police Oversight Board in 2023 the policy made it more difficult to conduct investigations into police misconduct.
There are numerous ways to identify an officer aside from their name tag, such as their car or badge number, said Akron Police Capt. Michael Miller.
Malik’s change to the badge policy was announced in a press release also announcing the official opening of applications for the city’s next police chief.
The city is looking for a candidate with at least 10 years of command or management experience in law enforcement, as well as a dedication to community policing, Malik said.
"The ideal candidate for the next Chief of Police will be capable of inspiring trust and confidence in all of Akron's diverse communities, as well as earning the respect and confidence of both sworn and civilian employees," Malik said. "We are looking for someone who is well-versed in community-oriented policing and has a proven reputation for being accessible and transparent while building partnerships between the department and the community to address crime and quality of life challenges.”
Malik plans to pick the chief in three to five months, he said during a recent community town hall.
During the town hall discussion, residents were asked to give feedback about what they’d like Malik’s administration to prioritize in the search for a new chief.
Many said they want the mayor to hire from within the department.
Malik said he’ll consider internal candidates, but anyone is invited to apply. The city hired Ralph Anderson & Associates, a national firm, to conduct the search.
