Ryan Westlake
Service Record
Akron Ohio Police Department
| Rank | Officer |
| Dates of Service | September 29, 2014 - May 6, 2024.[1] |
| Salary | $106,253 (2022)[2] |
| Last Known Status | Terminated[3] |
Westlake was previously fired by the agency and reinstated. See below[3]
Incident Reports
2017 Arrest
On February 17, 2017, Westlake and other officers responded about a man who was passed out in his car. The man charged at officers and tried to flee. Westlake punched the man in the upper body, took him to the ground, and Tased him before he was handcuffed.[4]
2018 Arrest
On March 4, 2018, Westlake was reporting to work when he saw a man running in the lanes of traffic. Westlake chased the man before getting him to the side of the road. Westlake started to handcuff the man, who resisted. Westlake knelt on the man's back until another officer arrived.[4]
2018 Arrest
On August 11, 2018, Westlake and another officer stopped a man with a suspended driver's license. The man knocked down the other officer. Westlake deployed his Taser, which missed the man. Westlake punched the man several times in the abdomen and face before he was handcuffed.[4]
2018 Arrest
On September 27, 2018, Westlake and another officer joined a pursuit of a motorcycle. While being handcuffed, the man was able to drag Westlake down a driveway.[4]
2020 Arrest
On January 2, 2020, Westlake and another officer responded to a domestic dispute between a mother and her son with mental issues. The man threw punches at the officers, who both deployed their Tasers, which were not effective. Westlake and other officers punched the man before he was handcuffed.[4]
2020 Arrest
On September 8, 2020, Westlake and another officer attempted to stop a man for a suspended license. Westlake pulled the man from his vehicle, put him on his stomach, and handcuffed him.[4]
2020 Domestic Violence
On December 4, 2020, Westlake was off duty when he threw his girlfriend into a table, pinned her arms to the ground, and struck her.[4]
Response Timeline
The woman declined to press charges.[4]
2021 Arrest
On January 7, 2021, Westlake and another officer stopped a vehicle. The driver fled on foot while holding a firearm. One officer wrestled with the man before another officer deployed his Taser. Westlake handcuffed the man.[4]
2021 Domestic Violence
On January 9, 2021, Westlake pushed his girlfriend, hit her in the eye, held a gun to her head, and threatened to kill her and her father.[4]
Response Timeline
On July 20, 2021, Westlake was fired.[4]
On July 21, 2021, Westlake was reinstated and suspended for 71 days without pay.[4]
Westlake was charged with domestic violence and aggravated menacing.[4]
The charges were dropped when the woman refused to cooperate.[4]
2021 Arrest
On March 13, 2021, Westlake and another officer chased a vehicle before the driver fled on foot. An officer deployed their Taser. The man resisted being handcuffed before Westlake punched him in the back.[4]
2021 Arrest
On March 14, 2021, Westlake and another officer stopped a man who became argumentative. The officers took the man to the ground and handcuffed him.[4]
2021 Chase
On November 23, 2021, Westlake and another officer chased a driver who had driven on a closed freeway entrance. As officers surrounded the vehicle, the driver struck two cruisers. Westlake rammed the vehicle. The truck fled and slammed on its brakes twice, leading Westlake to rear-end it. The chase was called off as it reached speeds of 86mph.
Response Timeline
Westlake was suspended for two days for ramming the vehicle and not immediately reporting it.[4]
2021 Arrest
On December 8, 2021, Westlake and another officer engaged a man whose car had expired registration. The man refused to give the officers his keys and to put his hands behind his back. Westlake struck the man several times in the lower back before the man was handcuffed.[4]
2021 Arrest
On December 11, 2021, Westlake and another officer stopped a vehicle for illegal window tint. A passenger fled. Westlake chased the man and deployed his Taser, which caused the man to fall to the ground. The man tried to flee, and Westlake used his Taser to stun the man in his lower back and the rear of his head. Westlake punched the man several times before handcuffing him.[4]
2021 Arrest
On December 18, 2021, multiple officers attempted to stop a vehicle that was wanted from an earlier incident. Westlake, who was on the driver's side of the vehicle, deployed his Taser, striking the passenger who was being removed by other officers. The passenger and the other officers were shocked by the Taser.[4]
Response Timeline
A supervisor determined that the use of the Taser was unreasonable.[4]
The incident was subsequently deemed to be reasonable.[4]
2022 Arrest
On January 15, 2022, Westlake and another officer responded to a burglary call. Westlake chased a suspect, took him to the ground, and knelt on his back before handcuffing him.[4]
2022 Arrest
On July 12, 2022, Westlake responded to a trespassing call. Westlake tackled the man before handcuffing him.[4]
2022 Vehicle Accident
On July 25, 2022, Westlake was involved in a minor accident in a restaurant parking lot.[4]
Response Timeline
Westlake received a written reprimand for failing to operate his vehicle safely.[4]
2022 Arrest
On August 25, 2022, Westlake made contact with a man who was suspected of stealing a cellphone. The man was sitting on his porch with a bag of marijuana on his lap. Westlake tackled the man before handcuffing him.[4]
2022 Chase
On August 31, 2022, Westlake pulled over a vehicle for having an unreadable license plate. A passenger fled. Westlake chased the man and deployed his Taser, which missed. The man escaped.[4]
2022 Arrest
On September 12, 2022, Westlake responded to a call about a man who was trespassing and appeared to be intoxicated. Westlake made contact with the man, who fled. Westlake deployed his Taser, striking the man in the back.[4]
2022 Policy Violation
Westlake failed to provide his name or badge number during a call.
Response Timeline
On December 12, 2022, Westlake was suspended for one day.[4]
2022 Policy Violation
Westlake failed to follow procedures for disposing of drugs. This was Westlake's third such incident.
Response Timeline
On December 16, 2022, Westlake was suspended for 45 days.[4]
2023 Arrest
On April 14, 2023, Westlake and another officer responded to a domestic violence call. The man struggled with officers when being handcuffed and taken to a police car. Westlake applied a pressure point behind the man's ear.[4]
2023 Arrest
On May 7, 2023, Westlake pursued a motorcycle that had been reported stolen. The motorcycle stalled, and Westlake pulled the man from the motorcycle and sat on him before handcuffing him.[4]
2023 Arrest
On June 8, 2023, Westlake recognized a vehicle from which the occupants had displayed guns and threatened to shoot an employee at a restaurant. Westlake chased one of the occupants and deployed his Taser, which missed. Westlake struggled with the man before he was handcuffed.[4]
2023 Arrest
On August 7, 2023, Westlake and other officers responded to a call about a stolen vehicle. The driver stopped, and 10 officers used verbal commands, knee strikes, punches, elbow strikes, pinches, and several Taser deployments as they attempted to handcuff the man.[4]
2023 Arrest
On September 18, 2023, Westlake responded to a dispute between a landlord and a tenant. A passenger in the landlord's car had an outstanding warrant and refused to exit the vehicle. Westlake bent the man's arm and pulled him from the vehicle. Officers sat on the man's back before handcuffing him.[4]
2023 Arrest
On September 27, 2023, Westlake responded to a breaking and entering call at an apartment. Westlake chased a suspect and deployed his Taser, striking the suspect.[4]
2023 Arrest
On October 25, 2023, Westlake responded to a stolen vehicle report. The suspect hid before other officers located him and Westlake handcuffed him.[4]
2023 Use of Force
On December 31, 2023, Westlake was assisting with an arrest. As the suspect was being handcuffed by other officers, Westlake put the barrel of his rifle on the suspect's head and neck. Westlake grabbed the man by his hair to turn his head.[3]
The incident was captured on Westlake's body-worn camera.
Response Timeline
An internal investigation found that Westlake's use of the rifle was "in a manner not taught to him", and grabbing the man's hair had "no law enforcement purpose".[3]
On April 9, 2024, Westlake was charged with Conduct Unbecoming of an Akron Police Officer and violating the Akron Police Division Resisting Arrest/Use of Force Procedure.[5]
2024 Arrest
On January 8, 2024, Westlake assisted with a traffic stop of a vehicle with an expired registration. Westlake identified the passenger as having felony warrants. Westlake grabbed the man's arm and took him to the ground before he was handcuffed.[4]
2024 Arrest
On January 24, 2024, Westlake responded to a theft at a store and located the suspect, who attempted to flee. Westlake deployed his Taser, which was ineffective. Westlake took the man to the ground, sat on him, and applied a pressure point behind the man's ear.[4]
2024 Use of Force
On March 1, 2024, Westlake responded to a complaint of a theft at a store. Westlake arrested a suspect and "used his handcuffs as a pressure point" to force the resisting suspect to walk. The suspect fell and claimed that they were injured.[4][3]
The incident was captured on the store's surveillance camera.[4]
Response Timeline
A sergeant and other officers believed the use of force was reasonable and within policy.[3]
On April 25, 2024, Westlake was charged with Conduct Unbecoming of an Akron Police Officer and violating the Akron Police Division Resisting Arrest/Use of Force Procedure[5]
The Office of Professional Standards and Accountability found violations of the department's policies for use of force and for the safety and protection of those in police custody.[3]
On May 6, 2024, Westlake was fired for his actions in this incident and the 2023 Use of Force incident, above.[3]
2024 Arrest
On March 15, 2024, Westlake observed a car with illegal window tint and found that the vehicle had been involved in a pursuit with another agency. The driver fled on foot. Westlake deployed his Taser, which was ineffective. A K-9 caught the man and Westlake handcuffed him.[4]
2024 Shooting of Tavion Koonce-Williams
On April 1, 2024, Westlake responded to a report of a man pointing a gun at houses. Westlake located Koonce-Williams, who appeared to be carrying a firearm. Westlake fired at Koonce-Williams, striking him in the hand.[3]
The firearm was a fake.[3]
Response Timeline
Westlake was placed on paid administrative leave.[3]
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) opened an investigation.[6]
On August 5, 2024, the BCI sent their report to the county prosecutor.[6]
On October 22, 2024, Lake County and Summit County prosecutors ruled that the shooting was justified as Koonce-Williams's actions gave "the officer... a reasonable and honest belief that the officer responding was in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm".[6]
Public Comments
LEO Ratings
References
- ↑ Officer Records, Ryan Westlake, Akron Police Department, ID: 174433, Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy
- ↑ Ryan Westlake V, City of Akron, 510S Police Officer, govSalaries
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 Justin Dennis, Akron officer terminated over use-of-force violations, FOX 8, 2024-05-06
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 4.30 4.31 4.32 4.33 4.34 4.35 4.36 4.37 4.38 4.39 4.40 4.41 4.42 Stephanie Warsmith, Here's a look at Akron officer Ryan Westlake's tumultuous history, Akron Beacon Journal, 2024-05-06
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Akron Police Department Terminates Officer Over Use Of Force Incidents, City of Akron, 2024-05-06
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Justin Dennis, Prosecutors rule shooting of teen with fake gun justified, WJW, 2024-10-22
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