Akron City Council is launching an initiative that will bring lawmakers and the police department together to make changes intended to improve public safety.
The Special Committee on “Reimagining Public Safety” includes four working groups on personnel and culture; accountability and transparency; prevention; and technology and equipment.
Council President Margo Sommerville said the groups will take a deep dive into Akron’s current policies and procedures.
“They will do research, have discussion, brainstorm. They would bring in experts," Sommerville said. "Then each working group would bring forth recommendations that would be presented to the public and to the council as a whole.”
Sommerville said the entire process will be transparent.
“The really nice thing about it is all of these meetings will be public meetings," she said. "So the public will have an opportunity to hear these discussions. The public will have an opportunity to submit possibly some questions, some ideas, and some suggestions.”
The initiative will begin in September with a police presentation to council. Committee recommendations will be released Dec. 7 and all changes will be enacted through the legislative process.
