The Akron Police Department officer who repeatedly punched a 16-year-old student in the head during an incident Wednesday has been removed from Firestone Community Learning Center and the district’s School Resource Officer program and assigned to administrative duty pending a use-of-force investigation.
“I found the video upsetting, and I suspect many others will as well,” Akron Mayor Shammas Malik said Monday of a video of the incident, which lasts two minutes and 35 seconds.
Two Akron Police Department officers were involved in the incident, which began after the student bypassed metal detectors at the school’s entrance.
In a surveillance video of the incident, the student was led back to the detectors by school officials multiple times. The student appears to become increasingly frustrated and tries to push through the officers, at which point an officer wraps his arms around the student and a scuffle ensues.
Security video provided by the Akron Public Schools shows the incident between a Firestone Community Learning Center student and two Akron Police officers.
At least one of the officers, Officer Zachary McCormick, who was the SRO assigned to Firestone CLC, punched the student in the head at least three times before taking him down to the ground, based on Signal Akron’s review of a video released by the school district. The student was then handcuffed and walked back toward the entrance of the school.
In the meantime, Malik added the city is working to find a new school resource officer for Firestone CLC.
Mayor: No weapon found on Firestone student; charges dropped
Malik said no weapon was found on the student and indicated that the entire incident may have been over a cell phone, which the mayor said was found on the student by the officers. High school students at APS are required to keep their phones in Yondr pouches during school — these bags remain locked during the day so students can’t access their phones and potentially disrupt classes.
The student was initially charged with resisting arrest, obstructing official business and trespassing. Malik said the charges have been dismissed without prejudice, which means they could be refiled at a later time, while a use of force investigation is ongoing.
Malik said he has been in close contact with APS following the incident and that the district requested the officer no longer be allowed on school property. The mayor said the city and department would honor that request.
In a statement released Monday, APS Superintendent Michael Robinson called the actions taken by the officers “unacceptable.” Robinson said the student received a medical evaluation.
“We deeply value the partnership we have with law enforcement and the crucial role SROs play in ensuring the safety of our students and building relationships and trust within our community,” Robinson said. “At the same time, it is equally important that accountability is upheld when incidents like this occur. The safety and well-being of our students and staff are our highest priority.”
Akron school board member Barbara Sykes said Saturday the district brought in counselors to talk to Firestone CLC students about the incident.
APD: SRO’s receive additional training to be in schools
Akron Public Schools uses sworn Akron police officers to assist with security on APS property. They do not work directly for the district, and Executive Director of Human Capital Yamini Adkins said the district does not maintain personnel records on APD officers serving in schools.
APD Deputy Chief Dave Laughlin said officers in the SRO program undergo additional training through the state to interact with student populations.
Records requests for the personnel file and use-of-force incident report for the officer involved have not been returned by the City of Akron.
Use-of-force incidents by Akron officers automatically initiate investigations into whether the force was warranted or not. Malik said an investigation is underway into the officer’s use-of-force on the 16-year-old student.
The International Association of Chiefs of Police define use-of-force as the “amount of effort required by police to compel compliance by an unwilling subject.”
There is no universal set of rules around use-of-force incidents.
