Residents demand accountability as council explains limits after officer reinstated by arbitrator

Dozens of residents pressed Canton City Council on allegations of police misconduct and the reinstatement of an officer, saying arbitration and current collective-bargaining rules have left families without accountability.

At the start of the public-comment block, Mary Lindsey summarized a March 30 federal decision: "US district judge Benita Y. Pearson ... denied Robert Hubert's request for qualified immunity," she told the council, and said the court left "whether his use of deadly force was unreasonable" for a jury to decide. Lindsey urged the council to act now, asking, "What are we waiting for?"

Multiple speakers described a pattern of officers being fired or suspended and then later rehired with back pay after arbitration. Cassandra White, who identified herself as the mother of Zachary Fornash, said families had been "bullied by your officers" and accused the system of racial disparity, stating that "98 percent of these cases, the victims were all black. A 100% of these cases, your officers were white." Several families in the audience were named aloud as people who had lost loved ones in use-of-force incidents.

Other residents pushed council to use its political leverage. Daniel Gates urged the city to "file a petition to vacate" an arbitration award within the statutory timeframe, saying arbitration "should not be a way for this officer to escape charges." Justin Nicely and others called for a civilian oversight board, a grievance procedure, and clearer community engagement. Skylark Bruce recommended tightening departmental policies (defining celebratory gunfire response, limits on canine use, and prohibitions on certain holds) to reduce future legal liability and costs.

Council leaders responded by restating the city's legal position but explaining limits. Leader Mariel said the city's official position throughout the process was that the officer should have been terminated, but an independent arbitrator ruled otherwise. The chair noted that "state law and collective bargaining dictate how our safety forces are treated" and suggested that objections to arbitration outcomes are appropriate matters for state legislators to address.

The meeting included several personal testimonies: Jason Cousins described a case he said the prosecutor declined to take; Kimberly Bell raised concerns about anonymous campaign mailings and alleged racialized attacks; and multiple speakers connected their appeals for justice to specific local cases and families. Emotions ran high during the public-comment period: speakers used strong language, and council officers at times asked for order to allow others to speak.

The council did not take additional formal action during the meeting to change disciplinary processes. Leader Mariel told the audience the city's legal stance remains unchanged and reiterated that changes to arbitration and collective-bargaining frameworks would require action at the state level. The meeting proceeded to its legislative agenda after public comment concluded.