Dozens of residents used Akron City Council’s public comment period to press elected officials for action on policing and transparency, with several speakers blaming recent officer‑involved shootings and council decisions for eroding community trust.

Mister McClendon told council he spoke a prior session and returned to say the city had just experienced “yet another officer involved shooting.” He noted the council had recently approved what he called the police department’s largest raise and asked whether that vote was appropriate given ongoing incidents. “Please don’t shoot us,” McClendon said repeatedly as he urged the city to stop police violence.

Another resident, identified in the transcript as William Reynolds, accused the council of “rubber stamping” proposals and said rule changes raised behind closed doors centralize power in the rules committee rather than with the council or voters. Reynolds said voters had created a community police oversight board (CPOB) and that council members had dismissed the public will by not invoking it in recent contract discussions.

An unidentified commenter who congratulated newly elected Fran Wilson said limits on nonresident speakers and new sign‑up rules appeared to curb public participation, calling proposed restrictions “callous.” The speaker warned that community pressure and resignations could follow if officials did not act.

Reverend John Beatty, identifying his Ward 8 address, described families fractured by what he called a police culture that “cultivates police violence escalation.” Beatty said he hopes an upcoming lawsuit will bring reforms and more de‑escalation training.

Council members did not take immediate policy votes in response to the comments during the meeting; public comment concluded and the meeting moved on to agenda business. The record shows several speakers explicitly urging changes to policing practice, more transparency in council processes, and preserving the public comment role at council meetings.