Retired Akron PD detective, K-9 handler named safety director for Akron Public Schools

Akron Public Schools has a new director of safety and security — but he's hardly a new face in Akron.

Detective Alan Jones retired last month after a 33-year career with the Akron Police Department, including over a decade as a K-9 officer, the first Black person in that role in the department. He has worked in Akron's schools for years as a police liaison, providing security for events and occasionally filling in as a school resource officer. He's even helped coach a bit of football at his alma mater, Buchtel Community Learning Center.

"I like working with people," Jones said. "I do, I like being around people."

That comes from his years of playing sports, Jones said. The 1980 Buchtel graduate played football through high school and for a year at Defiance College before an injury led him to transfer to the University of Akron. He graduated and became a computer programmer, but after he was laid off, he realized he wasn't much one for sitting behind a desk.

His new job — his first in many years in street clothes — may require more of that than being a police officer did. But Jones said he's committed to being in the schools regularly.

Jones will manage a team of about 60 safety team members. He started the job July 9, one day after the board approved his appointment. He takes over from Don Zesiger, the former Tallmadge police chief, who retired after two years in the job.

Increased security measures already in place

Jones comes into the district at a time when security measures have already been ramped up significantly. In the wake of the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis in 2020, places like Akron started to have conversations about police in schools. Akron kept its school resource officers in place but decreased the overall number from 18 to 14 that fall, mostly due to cost, staffing availability and assessed need.

But two years later, as teachers were negotiating a new contract, safety was a top concern, and several new initiatives have been implemented.

Any visitor coming through the district administration building must now pass through a metal detector and have their bags scanned. Several more schools have metal detectors and use them more regularly. High school and middle school students have their phones locked up during the day. Teachers at some schools also have security badges that can alert safety team members to an issue and the location within seconds.

This year, schools will start scanning visitors' IDs before allowing them in the buildings. Jones said it's not clear yet when that system will be up and running.

Jones said he believes schools should still be places where parents are welcome and where kids can make mistakes and not end up charged with a crime, and that school resource officers should allow the school administration to handle discipline issues.

But Jones would also like to see resource officers permanently placed at elementary schools. Right now, the police department, which provides the SROs, does not have the staffing for that, he said, so one or two people roam between the elementary schools.

When asked if he was concerned about the hardening of schools, or the increased police presence in buildings, Jones said he believes the community is supportive of the initiatives.

"The community as a whole, the community does like what’s put in place," Jones said. "Because they want their kids to be safe when they're there. They want their kids to be safe."

He's a big fan — although he knows many students aren't — of the Yondr bags that lock up students' cellphones during the day.

"They're not happy about those Yondr bags," Jones said. "But I tell you, it cuts down a lot of friction and tension in the school buildings. A lot. Because we're using the phones for the wrong thing."

Jones' daughter Ebony died in 2011 accident

Jones also, when he feels it's appropriate, speaks to students about putting down their phones while they are driving. It's a topic he's passionate about in the wake of the death of his 24-year-old daughter, Ebony, in 2011. Ebony was driving in the Montrose area when she went off the road and flipped her car. Jones has no way of knowing for sure if her phone played a role, but he feels strongly it probably did.

"I do believe that she was probably on the darn phone," Jones said.

After the accident, he testified while in uniform to the Akron City Council in support of a ban on cellphones. City Council didn't approve a ban at the time, but the state recently implemented one.

Jones and his wife took in their 5-year-old granddaughter, Kennedy, after Ebony died in the accident. Kennedy will be a senior at Firestone this year.

Jones said he talks to her as well about not using her phone while driving.

"It's very important, it only takes a second for you to be looking at that phone," Jones said. "You try to tell them − they're so savvy with technology − use what the car gives you. If you can do it over the speaker... do it over the speaker."

Jones said it's still hard for him to talk about his daughter or the accident, but he has already adorned his new office with a photo of her, along with photos of his two other adult children and three grandchildren.

Jones worked as K-9 unit officer with partner Midnight

He also has a photo of himself with his K-9 partner of almost 13 years, drug-sniffing dog Midnight.

Jones served in the police department's SNUD unit, which stands for Street Narcotic Uniform Detail. When the opportunity came about to be a K-9 officer, Jones said he jumped at the chance.

"I just thought it would be interesting," Jones said. "I talked with the missus, of course, got the OK, and then I became the handler."

Midnight joined Jones' family at just 2 months old and still lives with them today. Midnight retired first, in September.

"He still listens but barely," Jones said. "I don't think he can hear, honestly."

Jones said he frequently did demonstrations and meet-and-greets with Midnight in Akron schools.

"A lot of kids know Midnight," he said.

Jones looking to improve relationships between youth and police

Jones said he also hopes to better foster relationships between kids and the police and wants that to start earlier than middle school. He said he remembers fearing the police when he was young.

But Jones also dismissed some of the fear that students today may have about police, saying incidents of police violence, including against those who complied with officers' orders, are the exception and not the norm.

"Hey, if you get pulled over, just cooperate with police. Maybe that's all you did, maybe you were just speeding and they’re just trying to — it's nothing to be afraid of, you just violated a traffic law," Jones said. "It's something very simple like that. Just cooperate with the police and chances are you probably wouldn't even get a ticket."

Jones' police file from the department included a single use-of-force complaint for punching a suspect who was handcuffed. His discipline was a forfeit of eight hours of accumulated time off, as the report acknowledged the suspect was being combative and later had to be put in leg restraints.

Jones' community involvement and efforts to build bridges between police and the community earned high praise from school board members, including several who had worked with him professionally.

Board member Job Essau Perry, a defense attorney, said he had known Jones for 20 years.

"Very good guy, looking forward to having him on board," Perry said.

Board member Summer Hall called Jones a "stand-up guy" and a "great asset to have in Akron Public Schools."

Board President Diana Autry acknowledged Jones' "longstanding commitment to our community and our schools."

"I think it is a definite plus for the district, someone who knows and loves our children and our community," she said. "So thank you for that."

Board member Bruce Alexander, who works for Summit County Juvenile Court, also praised Jones.

"He's always been a good individual, he's always worked with our kids, always dedicated to our kids, dedicated to the city of Akron," Alexander said. "We are happy to have someone like Alan here."

Contact education reporter Jennifer Pignolet at jpignolet@thebeaconjournal.com, at 330-996-3216 or on Twitter @JenPignolet.