Seattle, WA

Akron’s oversight board’s choice for police auditor has faced job performance questions

Published

2 years ago

January 5, 2024

Akron’s oversight board’s choice for police auditor has faced job performance questions

The Akron Citizens’ Police Oversight Board moved closer to hiring an independent police auditor at a special meeting Wednesday night, voting 7-2 to extend a job offer to Anthony Finnell — currently an independent consultant and president of the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement.

While board members praised Finnell as the most qualified candidate considered for the position, disagreement arose Wednesday over the need for public participation in the hiring process. The board also briefly addressed Seattle media reports about a whistleblower complaint criticizing Finnell’s performance in a previous auditor role.

CPOB Chair Kemp Boyd and fellow member Caitlin Castle voted against extending the offer, with Boyd saying he wanted to bring Finnell back for a third interview that would have involved input from the public, an idea that Castle agreed with.

Board member Diane Lewis, who voted in favor of the offer, said she thought a third interview was called for — but she didn’t see the need to involve the public. She said she was concerned that Finnell, who plans to rent an apartment in Akron while maintaining a residence in Indianapolis, would be away during weekends — when a considerable amount of police enforcement activity takes place.

“My concern is the accessibility,” Lewis said. “I want to ask him a bit more about what that looks like.”

Board member Bob Gippin emphasized that Finnell won’t be hired until the board votes on a final contract. He said that while he is unsure how long that process will take, the public can provide feedback on the pending appointment during comment periods at regular board meetings or via email to CPOB@akronohio.gov. According to its website, the board’s next regular meeting is scheduled for Jan. 10 at 6 p.m. at Akron City Hall, located at 166 S. High St.

Vice Chair Donzella Anuszkiewicz said Finnell was the only candidate the board interviewed who had worked both on police oversight boards and as an auditor.

“We had good candidates,” she said, “but he was the best. He was the absolute best.”

Who is Anthony Finnell?

Finnell has served in various roles with the National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE) since 2016. He also serves as an independent consultant in the fields of civilian oversight of law enforcement policy and procedures, investigations and community-based policing and security.

He is a retired sergeant from the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department whose career in law enforcement spanned more than 20 years.

Starting in 2014, he became executive director of the Citizens’ Police Review Board in Oakland, California. In 2017, that board was disbanded and replaced by the Community Police Review Agency, for which he was named interim executive director. In 2018, he was abruptly fired from that role without public explanation.

A story published by the East Bay Express, however, noted that Finnell had clashed with the Oakland Police Commission, telling commissioners that they would not have access to investigative files, including during closed session meetings.

Before working in Oakland, Finnell worked in Chicago, as supervising investigator for the city’s Independent Police Review Authority.

Performance questioned in Seattle

In 2021, the South Seattle Emerald, a nonprofit news outlet in Washington state, published a story saying Finnell, who at the time was the auditor for the Office of the Inspector General, was under investigation after a whistleblower claimed he insufficiently reviewed evidence in cases that he certified. A 2022 report on the Seattle-area news site PubliCola noted that Finnell had left that office before the external review concluded — with a report listing recommendations for improved practices at the office.

The Akron oversight board received an email pointing to the Seattle review after a Dec. 20 special meeting during which the board mentioned Finnell was being considered for the position. Gippin said he had already read the article cited in the email, and opted not to ask Finnell about it during the interview process because he didn’t think there was much substance to the complaints.

“Nothing I’ve seen since changes my mind about that,” Gippin said. “It creates no concern.”

Fellow board members Anuszkiewicz and Brandyn Costa said they agreed with Gippin’s assessment of the situation .

Contact reporter Derek Kreider at DKreidr@Gannett.com or 330-541-9413

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Seattle, WA

WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gunfire at Westcrest Park

Published

2 hours ago

December 16, 2025

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WEST SEATTLE CRIME WATCH: Gunfire at Westcrest Park

1994
December 15, 2025 (10:43 pm)

Would be interesting to know how many casings the police department finds weekly, monthly, and yearly…. gunfire is either being reported more often and checked upon by the police, or increasing in frequency.

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Seattle, WA

Evacuations ordered in 3 south Seattle suburbs after levee fails after week of heavy rain

Published

14 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Press Room

Evacuations ordered in 3 south Seattle suburbs after levee fails after week of heavy rain

SEATTLE (AP) – Officials ordered immediate evacuations in three south Seattle suburbs Monday after a levee failed following a week of heavy rains.

The evacuation order from King County in Washington state covered homes and businesses east of the Green River in parts of Kent, Auburn and Tukwila.

Emergency shelters have been set up at the following locations:

Auburn Community and Event Center, 910 9th St. SE, Auburn, WA, 98002
Ray of Hope Shelter, 2806 Auburn Way N. Auburn, WA, 98002
Evergreen State Fairgrounds, 14405 179th Ave. SE., Monroe, WA 98272 (Open 24 hours) – Pets welcomed

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning covering nearly 47,000 people.

“Conditions are dangerous and access routes may be lost at any time,” the weather service said in a post on X.

This is for residents and businesses east of the green river in the Orillia area in Tukwila, Renton and Kent.
Due to breach in the Desimone Levee, this area is under a GO NOW evacuation notice. Leave immediately if you are in this area.
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) December 15, 2025

The levee breach followed a week of heavy rain and flooding that inundated communities, forced the evacuations of tens of thousands of people, and prompted scores of rescues throughout western Washington state

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Seattle, WA

Report: Seattle Mariners a front-runner for Cards’ Donovan

Published

2 days ago

December 14, 2025

Press Room

Report: Seattle Mariners a front-runner for Cards’ Donovan

The Seattle Mariners have emerged as one of two front-runners in trade talks with the St. Louis Cardinals for utilityman Brendan Donovan, The Athletic’s Katie Woo reported on Saturday.

Drayer: How Polanco’s departure impacts Seattle Mariners’ offseason

Woo reported a league source said trade discussions between the Mariners and Cardinals have been heating up since the Winter Meetings, and that switch-pitcher Jurrangelo Cijntje and outfielder Lazaro Montes – two of Seattle’s top-seven prospects, per MLB pipeline – are two names St. Louis has inquired about, among others.

The Cardinals will not trade Donovan unless they are “blown away” by the return, and it’s believed they are looking for at least two prospects, per Woo’s reporting.

The San Francisco Giants were the other of the two front-runners Woo named. She also said that both the Mariners and Giants remain engaged in talks with the Arizona Diamondbacks about second baseman Ketel Marte.

Can the M’s give up what Arizona wants for a Ketel Marte trade?

Donovan, who will turn 29 next month, has two years of club control remaining. He’s played every position except catcher during his four-year career, with the majority of his time coming at second base and left field. He would figure to mainly factor in at second base and third base for the Mariners, who have young players like Cole Young, Ben Williamson and Colt Emerson vying for time at those positions.

Donovan was a first-time All-Star in 2025, batting .287 with a .353 on-base percentage, .422 slugging percentage, .775 OPS, 32 doubles, 10 home runs and 50 RBIs in 118 games. His 13% strikeout rate ranked in the 92nd percentile of big league hitters and his 13.4% whiff rate in the 95th percentile, per Baseball Savant.

Over four MLB seasons, Donovan has a career .282 average with a .361 on-base percentage, .411 slugging percentage, .772 OPS, 97 doubles, 40 homers and 202 RBIs in 492 games. He won the NL Gold Glove for utility players during his rookie season in 2022.

As for the prospects Woo reported the Cardinals inquiring about, the 22-year-old Cijntje is Seattle’s No. 7 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. The unique pitcher had a 3.99 ERA and 1.22 WHIP while holding opponents to a .207 average, striking out 120 batters and walking 51 in 108 1/3 innings pitched over 26 appearances (23 starts) across High-A and Double-A in 2025.

The 21-year-old Montes is considered to be the best power-hitting prospect in the Mariners’ farm system and is their No. 3 overall farmhand, per MLB Pipeline. The slugging outfielder hit .241 with a .354 on-base percentage, .504 slugging percentage, .858 OPS, 19 doubles, seven triples, 32 home runs, 89 RBIs, 83 walks and 169 strikeouts over 131 games across High-A and Double-A this year. Montes finished tied for third in home runs among minor leaguers across all levels.

The report that the M’s are one of the top contenders for Donovan came on the same day as they lost out on re-signing their top remaining free-agent target, second baseman/designated hitter Jorge Polanco, who reportedly agreed to a two-year, $40 million deal with the New York Mets.

More Seattle Mariners offseason coverage

• Backup catcher target emerges for Seattle Mariners, per reports
• Drayer: Mariners’ plan for 2B and 3B coming more into focus
• Salk: What we know and think about Seattle Mariners’ offseason needs
• Why Nolan Arenado could make sense as a Seattle Mariners trade target
• Drayer: Mariners’ plan for 2B and 3B coming more into focus
• The one move Passan says could make Mariners the AL favorites

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