AKRON, Ohio — Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan announced his selection for the position of deputy mayor for public safety Monday morning, selecting Akron Fire Department Chief Clarence Tucker for the role.
Tucker is replacing Charles Brown, who is retiring after nearly four decades of public service.
“I want to thank Mayor Horrigan for this great honor,” said Tucker. “Public service to the city of Akron has been my calling and my passion, and I come to this position humbly and ready to work with our community as well as our public safety forces to help make Akron a safer, better place for all our residents.”
According to the mayor's office, Tucker's duties include the following:
- Tucker will be a liaison facilitating important dialogue between Akron’s Public Safety Forces, the Mayor’s Office and Cabinet, and the community.
- He will be responsible for making recommendations to enhance and improve policies and procedures of Akron's police and fire forces.
- He will work with APD and AFD on initiatives to combat violence and crime in Akron, build community trust with public safety forces, and serve as an advisor to mayor Horrigan on safety issues.
- He will help support recruitment efforts for both APD and AFD with an emphasis on diversity and inclusion in Akron’s ranks.
- Tucker will also ensure a smooth transition with Akron’s next Fire Chief.
Tucker has been with the Akron Fire Department since 1988. He was promoted to lieutenant in 2000, a captain in 2005, district chief and 2015, and became chief the following year.
“As I began to think about who our next deputy mayor for public safety would be and the characteristics I knew we needed in this role, chief Tucker immediately came to mind,” said Horrigan. “Clarence leads by example with integrity and honesty and always with a community-minded approach. He has been an outstanding public servant in the city of Akron for 34 years and I can’t imagine a better person than him for this role in this present moment.”
The city said it will start accepting applications for the fire chief's position in the coming days. In the meantime, Tucker will continue in his role as chief until his replacement is found. The city said the goal is to have a new chief by December.
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