The Akron City Council passed a new law targeting police transparency, mandating police officers post footage of deadly use-of-force incidents online for the public to see within a week of the occurance.
The bill, which unanimously passed through a Monday vote, was sponsored by Akron Mayor Dan Horrigan, council president Margo Sommerville and vice president Jeff Fusco.
The new law was proposed after the Akron Charter Review Commission recommended a “prompt release” of footage involving lethal police force be voted on in a November ballot. Nearly 90 percent of Akron voters voted to approve the new rule, according to the Akron Beacon Journal.
The law will also permit citizens to file a petition for the release of deadly force footage if they suspect the police department did not post it, which mirrors that of public records requests.
“This ordinance is the result of more than a year of community engagement, research, and preparation,” Horrigan said in a Tuesday statement. "Akron is now a leader among peer cities across the country when it comes to public accountability in police use of force cases."
The mayor said the measure shows the city's commitment to being transparent and consistent.
The most recent footage of a police-involved shooting in the city was not released until 14 days after the incident, the Journal reported.
The law's passage comes after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) made executive actions aimed at increasing police transparency and accountability, as Townhall previously reported. Families of victims of deadly police force will be allowed to see the footage within five days.
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