Several new faces could be joining Akron’s Citizens’ Police Oversight Board this year.
Akron officials have nominated four people to the board to fill three open seats and one seat that will be vacated later this summer.
The nine-member board makes policy recommendations to the Akron Police Department and oversees the police auditor’s office, which reviews citizen complaints and use-of-force incidents.
The two-year terms of board members Bob Gippin, Donzella Anuzskiewicz and Crystal Jones expired earlier this year. Board member Beverly Richards is planning to resign in August, Board Chair Kemp Boyd told Ideastream Public Media.
According to the city’s charter, city council picks six of the board members while the mayor’s office appoints three. Jones and Richards were picked by the mayor, while council selected Gippin and Anuzskiewicz.
Both Gippin and Anuzskiewicz applied to serve on the board again, while Jones is leaving the board due to family obligations.
City council members introduced legislation Monday to re-appoint Anuzskiewicz, but not Gippin.
“We decided to bring Donzella back, who was an original appointee to the oversight board,” Council President Margo Sommerville said. “We think that she is going to be a good asset moving forward. We also think that she is going to be very helpful, in terms of onboarding the also three new members to the oversight board.”
Council is also appointing new member Juanita Elton, a retired Akron police officer who now works as a family liaison at Akron Public Schools, according to her application.
“We thought that her background in criminal justice and her balanced approach between police and community would be a great asset to the board,” Sommerville said.
Mayor Shammas Malik’s administration is requesting to appoint Christopher Weems, who has worked with various community organizations, including mentorship group 100 Black Men and Summit County Children’s Services, according to his application.
The mayor’s office is also appointing Duane Crabbs, founder of South Street Ministries, a nonprofit that provides programming to the city’s underserved communities, particularly in the south and Summit Lake neighborhoods.
“Mr. Weems is very active in the community. He also serves on the [advisory] board for the Akron Police Department, so very familiar, very passionate about this issue,” Public Safety Director Tony Ingram said. “Pastor Crabbs has also been a huge community advocate. [He’s] retired from our safety forces, and also very passionate about making sure our safety forces are the best that they can be.”
Fran Wilson, a community activist who is the Democratic candidate for the Ward 1 council seat in November, asked council members during Monday’s safety committee meeting why they did not re-appoint Gippin. Council members did not address Wilson’s question.
Gippin served as the chair of the board’s governance committee and helped create the board’s rules and procedures.
Council voted to take time to consider the nominations. They invited appointees to attend next week’s council meeting.
The other current board members are serving four-year terms that will expire in 2027.
