Mayor Horrigan and Akron City Council Now Accepting Applications for Citizen Oversight Board
Application deadline October 31, 2022
City of Akron Press Release
From the desk of City of Akron Press Office
Published: 10-03-2022
Akron, Ohio, October 3, 2022 — Today, Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan and Akron City Council will begin accepting applications for the newly created Citizen Oversight Board. The Board was approved by Akron City Council on September 26, 2022. Read the ordinance here for all duties and responsibilities of the Board.
The Board will be comprised of eleven members. Six members will be appointed by Mayor Horrigan with the consent of Council, and 5 members will be appointed by Akron City Council. The Board will include at least one resident from each ward. It will also include an attorney currently licensed to practice in Ohio, an expert in the field of mental health, an expert in the fields of racial equity and social justice, and an expert in the law enforcement profession.
Board members are recommended to complete the Akron Police Department’s citizen academy (or any subsequent similar program) and/or forty (40) hours of APD “ride-alongs” within 1-year of taking office.
“This Board has been a long time in the making for our city,” said Mayor Horrigan. “I am excited to get the Board seated and I welcome any and all who are interested in joining to apply. Having a diverse group from a variety of backgrounds will be crucial in creating and furthering the important dialogue needed between our citizens and our Police Department.”
“The creation of a Citizen Oversight Board is a timely and critical addition to our community policing efforts in the City of Akron”, said City Council President Margo Sommerville. “As I have previously stated, ‘The Time Is Now’. I encourage interested residents from every ward in our city to apply, engage in the process, and lend your voice to the vital dialogue that will ensue in the days ahead.”
The application is available on the city’s website here or akroncitycouncil.org. Once completed, the application can be emailed to [email protected] along with a copy of a current resume if available. Residents can also pick up a copy of the application at City Hall (166 S. High St., Akron, OH 44308). All applications must be submitted either in person to City Hall or emailed by October 31, 2022.
After the application deadline closes, both Mayor Horrigan and Akron City Council will separately review all applications by ward. Council will convene a Citizen Oversight Committee to select the five members of their choosing who will then be approved by Council at large. Mayor Horrigan will present his six choices to Council for approval. The City aims to seat a Board by the start of 2023.
For further information, contact:
Stephanie Marsh
Chief Communications Officer
Phone: 330-375-2754
E-mail: [email protected]
