Mayor Shammas Malik acknowledged that there is not a ton of common ground on the issue of policing in Akron.
Ahead of Malik’s State of the City address Tuesday, June 3, at 5 p.m. at Lock 3, Signal Akron asked our readers to give a “progress report” on the mayor’s first year in office, rating his administration’s success in some of his focus areas — from public safety to economic development. We used some of the survey responses as we asked Malik to review his own performance.
When it comes to public safety, opinions among Akron residents remain divided. While some survey responses reflected frustration with the mayor’s handling of concerns over police accountability, others appreciated his administration’s efforts to develop additional approaches to public safety, like the Akron Street Team.
“The reality is, we need a safe community, and we need a community where everyone feels like the police are there to protect them and support them,” Malik said.
How to go: For Akron Mayor Shammas Malik’s State of the City address at Lock 3, attendees are encouraged to register here.
Malik said that he has been accused of trying to defund the police department — one of the survey respondents agreed — but he said police staffing levels contradict that. This year, the city budgeted to maintain 488 uniformed police officer positions, and staffing was at 464 officers in March.
“And so I personally believe, right, personally, that you need to have an effective policing organization in order to create safety, right? And I’ve said from when I was on City Council, that I didn’t think that you can improve an institution by defunding an institution.”
But not everyone agrees with that assessment. Some survey respondents suggested there is too much support for the police department. And his proposal for a review of the Akron Police Department’s use-of-force policies, which he reintroduced in May with a smaller price tag, has gained mixed responses from the community.
Malik said the use-of-force review is important, but it is only part of a broader approach to safety, which includes integrated responses like the SCOUT program and a new hospital-based violence intervention program, he said.
“There are folks who say, ‘Oh no, you need to look elsewhere for safety than the police,’” Malik said. “Well, I don’t disagree that there can be community-based programs, too, right? I think that actually the best approach is in layering all these things together, right?”
These two programs were among Malik’s goals for his first 100 days in office. The SCOUT pilot program launched in March 2024, making the 100-day cut, while the hospital program is expected to finally launch this fall.
Mayor plans to focus more on housing initiatives
Malik is aware of the gaps in housing for Akron residents, particularly related to emergencies like the evacuation of a deteriorating building on South Main Street, and he said it’s a valid concern to highlight.
“One of the things that I’ve seen over the last year and a half is that when it comes to how we approach emergencies, we are good at responding in the moment,” Malik said, “but in terms of the preparation on the front end, and then in terms of the long-term response weeks, months later, it’s difficult to maintain that level of service.”
Resources and programs are scarce, Malik said. Which is part of the reason he created the assistant to the mayor for emergency management role, now filled by retired Akron Fire Chief Joseph Natko — so that when police and fire move on to the next call, there is someone to coordinate longer-term responses and help plan for future responses.
Malik also addressed concerns raised in the survey about Akron’s approach to homelessness. Historically, the city’s homelessness services have been funded exclusively through federal sources, Malik said, but that funding has been flat and could decline. And the money itself is not enough, he said.
His administration has not put as much focus on spotlighting homelessness issues as they have on other issues, and long-term strategies are something they are working on, Malik said.
While some survey respondents voiced disappointment over the city’s handling of encampment sweeps, Malik said he does not think eliminating encampment sweeps is a solution, for safety reasons. He explained that encampments in specific areas, like near railroad tracks or on private property, create hazards that need to be addressed.
“At the same time, you know, everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect and treated humanely,” he said.
Malik said his administration has worked to improve its approach, collaborating with the Summit County Continuum of Care to provide notices and outreach ahead of sweeps.
“We’re open to feedback,” Malik said, “but we’re trying to improve how we’re approaching it.”
Bringing life back to downtown
A key priority for Malik’s administration has been revitalizing Akron’s downtown, a goal echoed by several survey respondents who pointed to the area’s lack of shopping, restaurants and activity. One Akron resident described it as a “ghost town.”
“You cannot have a thriving city unless you have a thriving, vibrant downtown where everyone can come together,” Malik said.
Malik is hosting his State of the City address at Lock 3 to show off the newly renovated park. He plans to ask folks to check out shows at Lock 3 and consider bringing guests who have not yet visited Akron’s downtown area. Everyone can have a part in creating a vibrant downtown, he said.
But Lock 3 will not magically change everything for the downtown area, he added.
The vision of bringing more people downtown also includes the CitiCenter building’s future residential transformation, the sale of the PNC building, a convention center-adjacent hotel with the anticipated renovation of Quaker Square, and Downtown Akron Partnership’s plans for downtown.
Malik said that there should be more specific things to announce regarding downtown development at his address.
On Tuesday, Malik will also share details about a new online tracker, an updated version of his 100-day tracker, for providing status updates on some of the city’s initiatives.
Malik said that, during his campaign, he spoke about a “new approach to governing” that is more responsive and collaborative, and so far, he thinks his administration has lived up to those principles.
“I don’t think it’s been perfect, but I think we have lived into those principles. I’m proud of that,” Malik said. “I think the transparency that we’re trying to demonstrate with this tracker, and with a lot of other things, is part and parcel of that.”