Nearly a year since the board was seated, Akron’s police oversight board now has rules in place.
Members of Akron’s Citizens’ Police Oversight Board have tried several times to get rules approved by Akron City Council but hit setbacks each time.
First, council members rejected a draft of the rules that would have given the board stronger investigatory power. Council then delayed a vote on another draft, asking to hear the city's police union’s opinion first.
But Monday, council unanimously approved the current rules.
The board wants stronger powers but is comfortable with the approved version, CPOB member Bob Gippin said.
“Frankly, they do not reflect our policy views, but we’re content with them, and we’ll work readily with them,” Gippin said.
A previous version of the rules would have given the board power to conduct investigations into police misconduct at the same time as the Akron Police Department.
Under the newly approved rules, the board must investigate complaints after the APD’s internal investigation is completed.
Board members hope to gain the authority to conduct simultaneous investigations later this year when the city renegotiates its contract with the police union.
The board also changed the rules last week to clearly state that it cannot force members of the police union to comply with subpoenas.
The rules state Akron police officers’ “duties to comply” with subpoenas issued by the CPOB or police auditor “are voluntary.”
Under the city’s current contract with the police union, the board cannot force union members to testify if they don’t want to, according to city lawyers, Gippin said.
“We’re not giving up the subpoena power,” Gippin said. “What we’re saying is, at least as matters currently stand with the collective bargaining agreement with the FOP, we will not seek to exert that power … over the opposition of the officer who is being subpoenaed.”
The passage of the rules now paves the way for the board to hire a new police auditor, who will be responsible for handling investigations, Gippin added.
The board plans to extend an offer in the coming weeks to Anthony Finnell, who currently serves as president of the National Association for Civilian Oversight and Law Enforcement.
Other council business
During Monday’s meeting, several council members debated one of Mayor Shammas Malik’s appointments to the city’s housing appeals board.
Malik had suggested Alyssa Figueroa, board president of the Northeast Ohio Coalition of the Homeless, and John Valle, the former head of the city’s department of neighborhood assistance. They were recommended to Malik by the neighborhood assistance department, Malik said.
However, housing committee chair Councilmember Jeff Fusco asked councilmembers to consider the slate without Figueroa’s name, citing concerns with previous public comments she made during council meetings.
Council members will discuss the concerns over Figueroa in the future, council president Margo Sommerville said, but she wanted to get Valle’s appointment — along with the reappointments of several individuals already on the board — approved so the board can have a quorum.
Malik did not know Figueroa’s name was going to be stricken from the legislation, he said.
“If there are valid concerns, we can address that, but I think that changing it on the fly here is not helpful, nor is it respectful to the individual who was recommended by neighborhood assistance,” Malik said.
Malik added that one of Figueroa’s comments mentioned in an email detailing council members’ concerns was about abortion rights and had nothing to do with housing, Malik said.
Council voted 9 to 2 to confirm the slate without Figueroa. Councilmembers Linda Omobien and Eric Garrett expressed concerns that they did not have enough time to consider the legislation and the concerns.
Councilmember Tina Boyes voted in favor of the legislation but expressed hesitation.
“I don’t know what the intentions are here, but I hope they’re not to discredit her or to embarrass her. I want to get to know more about her first,” Boyes said.
Sommerville denied any intent to discredit Figueroa.
“We want to be very careful about having these types of conversations in this way, and in this manner, out of respect for her, but we do have a responsibility and that is to make sure the city’s business continues on,” Sommerville said.
Council also unanimously approved the demolition of a historic church in the Kenmore neighborhood. The city plans to demolish the former site of Akron Baptist Temple, a vacant building now owned by The Word Church, due to several years of disrepair.
