Days after Freedom BLOC called for the resignation of Police Chief Brian Harding after he backed officers involved in the controversial bodyslam and arrest of an Akron woman, an Akron City Council member is adding to the chorus of voices who want new leadership.Akron City Council at-large representative Eric Garrett, in a statement released Thursday, called the police chief’s response a “direct threat to our community’s safety and well-being.” Harding recently rejected Independent Police Auditor Anthony Finnell’s April report, which recommended disciplinary action and investigations into the officers involved in the Dierra Fields case. The police chief called the force reasonable and the arrest appropriate. In June, Fields was acquitted by a jury.“Chief Harding’s actions send a dangerous and alarming message to our community,” wrote Garrett, who called for Harding’s resignation at the Akron Police Department. “His rejection of the auditor’s recommendations suggests that he is willing to tolerate officers slamming, choking out, disrespecting, and even killing Black residents without consequence.”Earlier this year: Garrett critical of Akron police chief hiring processDuring the search for a new police chief, Garrett was deeply critical of Mayor Shammas Malik’s hiring process, which only considered two white male APD deputy chiefs.In his letter, Garrett said he worried about the cost to defend and resolve federal lawsuits about police misconduct, including lawsuits that have recently been settled, are currently ongoing and will likely be filed soon. He mentioned the $45 million lawsuit from the family of Jayland Walker that could soon be settled; lawsuits from protesters alleging unlawful arrests and force; potential lawsuits filed by Fields; the 15-year-old shot by an officer earlier this year; and the family of the man killed by officers in August. “We must recognize that without strong, moral leadership, the reforms sought by the citizens of Akron will remain out of reach,” Garrett wrote. “The chief’s recent actions contradict the commitments made during his application process, leaving many questioning when will the mayor intervene and correct these injustices.”Malk sent Finnel a copy of Harding’s rejection of the Fields recommendations on Sept. 30 but has yet to publicly express his own view about the officers’ conduct. In a letter to Finnell, he vaguely acknowledged “recurring concern” about use of force and resisting arrest policy but did not say whether he shared those concerns himself. His office would not say whether the mayor agreed with the police chief’s assessment.Press conference scheduled next weekOn Friday afternoon, Freedom BLOC announced it is hosting a Monday press conference “demanding Akron Police Chief Brian Harding resign following his failure to hold the Akron Police Department accountable at the risk of Akron citizens.” The group’s executive director, Ray Greene Jr., will speak alongside Garrett and attorney and organizer Imokhai Okolo, who in June successfully represented Fields in her criminal trial. Akron NAACP President Judi Hill is also scheduled to speak, although she told Signal Akron that she’s not specifically calling for Harding’s resignation. She said she wants to express her displeasure with the police chief’s clearance of officers involved in the Fields incident. The post City Council member calls for police chief’s resignation: ‘Direct threat to our community’s safety and well-being’ appeared first on Signal Akron.First published by Signal Akron.