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Public commenters urge Akron council to address policing disparities and seek reforms
Summary
During public comment, a resident urged Akron City Council to pursue reform and said the Black community could bring a class-action suit under 42 U.S.C. §1983; another speaker asked the council to recognize former officer Sylvia Trundle for community service.
During the council's public comment period, two speakers urged action on community and policing issues.
Gerald Gregory recounted personal interactions with former officer Sylvia Trundle, described her intervention on his behalf years ago and asked the council to formally recognize her service to the Black community.
Tasha Mills made a broader, more critical statement about policing in Akron. Mills cited disparities and historical funding patterns and told the council that, "according to Title 42 of the United States Code," the city’s Black community has grounds to "bring forth a class action civil lawsuit against the city of Akron and the Akron Police Department." Mills called for reform and criticized the mayor's office and council for perceived inaction on repeated incidents, training and oversight.
The public comment period closed after the two speakers; the transcript records no formal response from council members during public comment.
