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Residents urge Akron City Council to speed independent review of police use-of-force policy
Summary
Public commenters told Akron City Council the police department's use-of-force policy should be revised and urged the council and its committees to start an independent review rather than delay or defer to an outside consultant without public input.
Jennifer Boswell told Akron City Council during the public-comment period that the city must move forward on a comprehensive review of the Akron Police Department's use-of-force policy and that the Public Safety Committee has not held substantive discussion since the proposal was presented to council on Dec. 16.
"The use of force policy is desperately in need of revision," Boswell said, adding that "the current policy uses a standard meant to be used in court proceedings rather than one designed to best serve the community." She also said the Office of the Independent Police Auditor has repeatedly offered to work with the Civilian Police Oversight Board and the Akron Police Department on a review and amendment of the policy.
Why it matters: Speakers at the Feb. 1 meeting framed the issue as urgent, saying recent incidents involving APD — including what Boswell described as an officer'involved assault of Deira Fields and other uses of force, some deadly — show…
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