Experts including former US Attorney General Loretta Lynch to review police use of force policy in Akron

Akron Mayor Shammas Malik has shared plans to engage two external organizations to assist in conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the Akron Police Department’s employment of force policy and other relevant aspects of public safety.

The initiative involves former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch leading a team from the law firm Paul, Weiss, in collaboration with 21 CP Solutions, a consulting firm specialized in policing, to conduct an in-depth review of the department’s use of force policies, trainings, and related matters within the City of Akron.

The proposed review is expected to take approximately five to six months.

Mayor Malik, alongside Council President Margo Sommerville and Ward 4 Councilmember Jan Davis, will propose legislation to Akron City Council on Monday to approve the appointment of these consulting services.

“I believe this comprehensive review is the most consequential step we can take as a city in improving our policy, practices, and culture around use of force and how our department engages with residents,” Malik said in a statement. “Paul, Weiss and 21 CP Solutions will bring unmatched expertise to the table. I want this process to involve all voices throughout our community – including our councilmembers, our Police Auditor’s office and Citizens’ Police Oversight Board, the Fraternal Order of Police union, civic groups, and more.”

The city of Akron says the objectives of the assessment will be the following: 

• Review APD’s programs, policies, and practices related to use of force.
• Assess if there are any inequities and resulting from the identified information.
• Identify systems and practices for monitoring and tracking data and identifying trends. 
• Build mutual trust between the community and APD.

The policy review comes after several notable use of force incidents involving the Akron Police Department in recent years, most notably the 2022 death of Jayland Walker at the hands of eight officers following a pursuit. Investigators discovered law enforcement had fired more than 90 bullets during the confrontation, with more than 40 of them hitting Walker.

This year, Akron police fired an officer after two use of force investigations while he was also on leave for the controversial shooting of 15-year-old Tavion Koonce-Williams. The city also initiated a use of force investigation in October after surveillance video showed a Firestone CLC school resource officer punching a student. Additionally, the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is now reviewing evidence of the deadly Thanksgiving night shooting when an officer opened fire and killed 15-year-old Jazmir Tucker during an incident near East Avenue and Vernon Odom Boulevard.

RELATED: Akron Mayor Shammas Malik holds press conference after police body camera video released in deadly shooting of 15-year-old Jazmir Tucker

The city says the teams from Paul, Weiss and 21 CP Solutions “will not conduct an investigation of any particular incident or officers, but may review past incidents for context.”

“I look forward to working with the team from Paul, Weiss and 21 CP Solutions as we evaluate our department’s policies and trainings as well as our community’s perceptions of safety in Akron,” added Akron Police Chief Brian Harding. “I welcome robust dialogue and engagement during this review. Our department is always open to improvement and if this review finds area where we can be stronger as a department, we will aim to implement those recommendations.”

The review is expected to include interviews with Akron police leaders, the Akron Fraternal Order of Police union, and “focus groups with rank-and-file officers.” There will also be community engagement sessions, some of which will be public. 

“Our officers welcome an open dialogue in the upcoming review process,” stated Akron FOP President Brian Lucey. “Their input will be critical in the evaluation of the Akron Police Department’s policies and trainings, and they will undoubtedly have invaluable feedback to provide to this process. As a union, we’re open to this policy review and the opportunity to engage with the consultant teams and the community.”

According to Malik, “following the review and engagement, the Paul, Weiss team will produce a set of recommendations for practical steps the City of Akron can take to address any issues that may be identified from the review.”

Lynch served as AG from 2015-17 under President Barack Obama.