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Speakers at Akron council meeting press for accountability after officer-involved shootings
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Summary
Public commenters at an Akron City Council meeting urged immediate action on police accountability after multiple officer-involved shootings, naming officers and criticizing recent pay decisions; speakers said oversight promises remain unfulfilled.
Public commenters at an Akron City Council meeting on Nov. 28 urged elected officials to take concrete steps on police accountability after recent officer-involved shootings.
At the meeting’s public-comment portion, Deneen Pollard accused city leaders of failing residents and described a recent on-scene shooting, saying the officer “pulled up within 25 seconds, saw a man raise his hand, saw a man pat his pockets, and proceeded to shoot 12 times.” Pollard alleged the officer had previous discipline for excessive force and warned the city faced unrest if officials did not act.
Autumn Riddle, who identified herself at the podium, said the person shot ‘‘did not have a gun’’ and said the shooting ‘‘wasn’t justified,’’ asking why Officer Davon Fields remains employed after earlier incidents in which she said Fields was involved. Riddle asked council members why a pay raise was approved without firing officers she described as dangerous.
Acacia Reynolds invoked a repeated refrain of ‘‘361 days’’ to mark what she said was the city’s inaction since a 15-year-old was killed, telling the council: ‘‘361 days of lip service to Ashley Green. Y’all will cry with her in public and then do nothing behind closed doors.’’ Reynolds said the council had approved a pay raise ‘‘with no benefits to the community’’ and criticized the lack of visible progress from a previously approved police oversight committee.
Speakers framed their remarks as calls for accountability and action rather than policy proposals. The meeting transcript records expressions of anger and grief and named officers and cases; the council did not record any formal response to those specific accusations during the public-comment period recorded in the transcript.
The council's formal business that followed included unanimous votes on multiple ordinances and a resolution honoring Councilman Samuel DeShazier; no immediate disciplinary actions or changes to police policy were recorded in the meeting minutes included in the transcript.
The meeting adjourned the public-comment period and proceeded to the consent agenda and other legislative business.
