AKRON, Ohio — Akron's Citizens' Police Oversight Board met Wednesday night and listened to people voice their frustrations over the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Jazmir Tucker.
Tucker was killed on Thanksgiving night by Akron police officer Devon Fields while responding to shots being fired.
Many of the speakers at the meeting said they feel harassed by officers, the people those speakers said are supposed to protect them.
The board was created when voters passed a charter amendment after Jayland Walker was killed by Akron police in 2022.
Normally given three minutes, each person was given five minutes to speak. The board also took the time to answer the public’s questions.
The committee spoke about why it may be difficult for them to make any serious changes.
The board said they hope the charter will be amended to give them more power, but said more members of the community need to participate in the meetings. About 20 people attended Wednesday’s meeting.
The chairman of the board, Kemp Boyd, said they are operating under the authority that that charter has given them.
“That’s the disconnect that’s happening between the community and our board — ’hey, what are you all gonna do?' We have fought for more authority. We have fought to have more meat on the bone,” Boyd said.
He went on to say they were denied their request for more power and currently don’t have the power to have an officer fired.
Several of the speakers called for the firing of officer Fields.
“We’re making a lot of speculation about that young man and his family, and we’re not talking enough about what we saw that policeman do that night. He violated several law before he even went into his truck and got that weapon and shot that boy,” said Fela Sutton, Akron resident.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation is handling the case, before it will make its way to Akron Police Department’s internal affairs and eventually be turned over to the committee. It may be several months before that happens. The officer is currently on administrative leave.
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