Akron’s Citizen’s Police Oversight (CPOB) was approved by voters in November 2022, and held their first meeting on April 5, 2023. The CPOB’s mission is to provide independent oversight of police practices and forward their findings to the Mayor. They oversee the Office of the Independent Police Auditor who conducts external and independent reviews of police practices here in Akron. The board is composed of nine residents, three are appointed by the Mayor with the approval of Council and the other six are appointed by a 2/3 majority vote of the City Council. Additionally, no more than two members can come from the same ward. There are currently no members from Ward 8 on the Board, and I feel we need to have a say in the decisions they make.
Recently one member of the board has stepped down, and it’s imperative that the CPOB be fully seated and City Council is responsible for appointing a new member to the Board. Did I mention there are no Ward 8 representatives on this important Board that fosters strong, respectful relationships between our safety forces and the community they serve. The application process is open to all but here are the qualifications:
- An attorney with criminal justice or civil rights experience
- A professional background mental
- An affiliation with an organization representing economically disadvantage or underserved communities in Akron.
A professional background in law enforcement
Applications are open until noon , Friday, March 20, and feel free to contact me with questions. The link below will take you to the application. One final reminder, Ward 8 is not currently represented on the CPOB; are you ready to step up?
https://www.akroncitycouncil.org/sites/default/files/docs/Application_0.pdf