Akron activists have launched a new effort to try to expand the city’s hiring pool for police and fire chiefs.
Citizens are gathering signatures on a ballot initiative that would let voters decide whether to change the city’s charter to allow external applicants to be considered for police and fire chiefs and deputy chiefs.
The effort began after Akron City Councilmembers rejected a similar ballot initiative by a seven to four vote two weeks ago, said Judi Hill, president of the Akron chapter of the NAACP.
“I was disappointed that they did not support this initiative. And so, when we heard some of the comments, that’s when we got started and moving,” Hill said.
Community leaders have been calling for such a measure since Mayor Shammas Malik decided to consider only internal candidates in hiring police and fire chiefs earlier this year, due to a state law that he believes prohibits external hires.
Expanding the pool to include external candidates will allow for more diversity in the city’s safety forces, Hill said.
“Who would not want a more diverse opportunity or a diverse candidate pool for our police and fire [departments]? That doesn’t make sense,” Hill said. “This isn’t taking away from anything the city hasn’t been doing; it’s only adding to and making it better so we can allow for the diverse candidate pool that we should have, and really should be doing.”
The organizers need at least 4,862 signatures to put the charter amendment on the November ballot. So far, they’ve collected about 400, said Mycheala Holley, a spokesperson for the campaign.
Rev. Shannon Blower, Pastor Robert DeJournett, Dr. Lathardus Goggins, Barb Greene and Willa Keith are the petition signatories, Holley said in a press release.
City council leaders called the citizen-led initiative "hurried” in a Friday news release and said they want to instead bring forth a ballot initiative in November 2025.
"If we're serious about amending our City Charter, let's take some time to do it comprehensively. Let's expand our committee — less of us elected officials and more community members — so that in November 2025, we can really present something to the community that's going to bring about real change — not something that's going to give false hope, not something that's going to be oversold and we can't deliver on," Council President Margo Sommerville said in the release.
Hill disagrees with the calls to take time. This change can’t wait, she said.
“How much time do you need to take to look at the fact that we need a diverse pool of individuals that could come into this city and help us do a better job of the work we need to do?” Hill said.
Hill added that several previous police chiefs were external hires, including former Chief Steve Mylett.
Signatures must be turned in by August 25, 2024.
