Akron police auditor nominee fields questions about past roles, future responsibilities
The Akron Citizens' Police Oversight Board's pick for independent police auditor spent his wedding anniversary Wednesday in the Ellet Community Learning Center's auditorium, talking to dozens of residents about what qualifies him for the job and fielding questions — including queries about his sudden withdrawal from posts in Oakland and Seattle.
Anthony Finnell is positioned to assume the role once his contract receives approval from a two-thirds majority of the nine-member Citizens' Police Oversight Board. The independent police auditor provides external and internal oversight and review of the Akron Police Department's policing practices, according to the job posting.
Since 2016, Finnell has served in various roles with the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) and is its current president. He also works as an independent consultant in the fields of civilian oversight of law enforcement policy and procedures, investigations and community-based policing and security.
Previously, he worked at FBI headquarters in Washington; the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department; in Chicago as supervising investigator for the city's Independent Police Review Authority; executive director of the Citizens’ Police Review Board in Oakland, California; and in Seattle as the auditor for the Office of the Inspector General.
His stints in Oakland and Seattle have drawn scrutiny because of the circumstances of his exit from those roles.
Finnell addresses employment history questions
Retired Akron police captain Sylvia Trundle asked Finnell what happened in Oakland and Seattle to trigger his abrupt departure from both cities.
In Oakland, he told the city's police commissioners they would not have access to investigative files, including during closed session meetings, and they fired him. He sued the city for wrongful termination. Oakland City Council settled the lawsuit, awarding $40,592 to Finnell but admitting no wrongdoing.
Finnell said that what the commissioners asked him to do was a violation of state law that could have resulted in a civil penalty or even a criminal offense.
"I chose, based on the advice of three different attorneys, to stand on the principal and not violate the law," Finnell said. "At a public meeting, they asked a very direct question and I answered with a very short 'no.'"
In Seattle — in the wake of George Floyd's murder by Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin — a whistleblower claimed Finnell he insufficiently reviewed evidence in cases that he certified, triggering an investigation.
Finnell said the Office of the Inspector General was deluged with complaints about the Seattle Police Department from people worldwide watching the department's conduct during the unrest following Floyd's death and felt compelled to submit complaints.
There was a time limit in which complaints had to be reviewed, but no policy in place to guide auditors through the review process. One of his fellow auditors felt that he was being lenient on police, and kicked the complaint up the ladder to his bosses, who dismissed it, Finnell explained.
He said he resigned prior to a comprehensive internal review conducted by the inspector general's office so that he and his wife could return to Indianapolis.
Managing responsibilities
Former Ward 6 Councilman Bob Hoch asked Finnell if he would be willing to resign his presidency of NACOLE if juggling his duties with NACOLE and the police board got to be too much.
Finnell said he is confident he can fulfill his obligations both to NACOLE and to Akron's police board. However, if it gets to be too much, he said he is prepared to resign from NACOLE.
He also dispelled rumors that he would be commuting back to Indianapolis every weekend; Finnell said his intent is to move to Akron.
Getting the board ready to do business
Ward 5 Councilman Johnnie Hannah asked Finnell about how he plans to move the board forward and how he intends to get the board members on the same page.
Finnell said his first priority is to fully staff the auditor's office.
He'd also like to meet with each individual board member to have frank conversations about their priorities — something he's already started doing.
Finnell also said that he'd like to use the resources available at his disposal as president of NACOLE for the benefit of Akron's police board.
"What I'd like to do with the board is offer my experience and expertise as they make their decisions off my input," Finnell said, "as they make their decisions on which direction they'd like to go.
The timetable for his approval is unclear; there is currently a vacancy on the police oversight board, and proposed rules for how the board operates are pending approval from Akron City Council, which will not meet Monday because of the Presidents Day holiday.
The Citizens' Police Oversight Board next meets on Wednesday.
Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreider@Gannett.com or 330-541-9413.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Akron police auditor nominee addresses questions at community forum
