AKRON, Ohio — Faith, city and police leaders in Akron are hoping to build trust with the community. Saturday afternoon, Burning Bush Church in Downtown facilitated a community conversation.
“People are hurting. The community is hurting,” said Pastor DeJuan Kelker. “Today, my goal is to have the Black community and the Akron Police Department leave with a better understanding of each other.”
The Akron Police Chief, Mayor, NCAAP President, leaders from local nonprofits and churches sat on a panel to answer questions and listen to concerns.
“It’s absolutely imperative to not only talk, like we are now, but to listen,” said Mayor Daniel Horrigan.
The three hour forum happened over two months after police fatally shot 25-year-old Jayland Walker. His death sparked protests and flamed tensions between law enforcement and the community.
READ MORE:News 5’s comprehensive coverage of the Jayland Walker shooting
Much of the initial conversation revolved around the Jayland Walker shooting, though city and police leaders could not discuss specifics from the ongoing investigation.
Neighbors voiced their fears and concerns and shared their experiences during police encounters.
“There is a difference when it comes to de-escalating situations when it’s in white community or it’s in a black community,” one woman said.
Another said, “We don’t want to keep making excuses for police officers being super aggressive, not making reports in their totality.”
Topics spanned gun violence, mental health and biases.
“I lost a niece, a 21-year-old, to gun violence,” one person shared, pleading for a solution to frequent shootings.
Another person said, “I didn’t even know if I should call the cops, but I saw someone that was clearly out of their mind. What’s going to happen to this person if I call the cops?”
At the invitation of the Police Chief, several patrol officers also shared their perspectives. One demonstrated how a body-worn camera could be turned on and off. Others talked about their encounters with citizens.
“Our goal is to go there, separate people, create a safe space for us and for them, so we can do an investigation and make a determination as to what to do next. We need the community’s cooperation to do that,” one officer said.
The discussion, at times tense, was largely respectful.
“There are more things in common that we have than are not in common,” said Akron Police Lieutenant Michael Miller.
One woman said, “I’m willing and I have to be a part of the solution.”
All parties agreed they hoped to foster better relationships and many recognized it would require more than conversations to create change.
“Are you willing to let that narrative shift a little bit?” asked Bryndon Glass, the pastor at SPAN Ministries. “If you’re not willing to allow that narrative to change, you are here for the wrong reasons.”
Some leaders talked about potential changes. The Mayor said he planned to introduce a plan on Monday to create a civilian review board. The Akron City Council has already approved a move to put an option for a civilian review board on the November ballot.
Police Chief Steve Mylett also pledged to “move the needle” on police-community relations under his tenure. He agreed to answer other questions submitted online following the meeting.
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