Matamba Kaalima is highest-ranking African American in workplace’s historical past
Summit County Sheriff’s Workplace Maj. Matamba Kaalima is proven with Sheriff Kandy Fatheree throughout his promotion in December, which made him the highest-ranking African American within the historical past of the Summit County Sheriff’s Workplace. Photograph courtesy of the Summit County Sheriff’s Workplace
DOWNTOWN AKRON — Summit County Council acknowledged Summit County Sheriff’s Workplace Maj. Matamba Kaalima and Councilwoman Veronica Sims (D-District 5) offered a commendation in honor of his accomplishments at Council’s Feb. 14 assembly.
In keeping with sheriff’s workplace Inspector Invoice Holland, Kaalima is the highest-ranking African American within the workplace’s historical past, having earned the rank of main in December. The sheriff’s workplace was shaped in 1840.
Data on the sheriff’s workplace Fb web page states Kaalima was born in New Jersey and moved to Ohio within the Eighties. He graduated from Central Hower Excessive College and attended the Nationwide Institute of Expertise earlier than enrolling in an area police academy, along with his first day Sept. 11, 2001. He began with the Summit County Sheriff’s Workplace in June 2002 and has labored in corrections on the Glenwood Jail and Summit County Jail. Kaalima earned the ranks of sergeant in 2013, lieutenant in 2016, administrative lieutenant in 2019 and captain in 2020. He additionally has certifications in jail administration, has accomplished management programs from the FBI Regulation Enforcement Government Improvement Affiliation and obtained commendations for excellent administrative management in 2011 and 2018. In 2018, he additionally obtained the Supervisor of the 12 months Award. As well as, Kaalima has authored an article on subject coaching and correctional coaching that was revealed in American Jails Journal.
“How applicable to make this presentation on the event of Black Historical past Month — a time once we pause to have a good time the superb accomplishments and tenacity of Black folks,” stated Sims. “You might be etched into the body of the historical past of Summit County and in Black historical past.”
Kaalima thanked Council for “this nice honor” and likewise thanked Sheriff Kandy Fatheree “for breaking the glass ceiling and beginning anew with a dedication to range.”
In different enterprise throughout committee conferences, Council moved 11 items of laws to an inventory of routine gadgets to be accredited on the subsequent common assembly. These things included extra funding of $250,000 for the Opiate Small Grant program, which is able to make out there grants of as much as $25,000 to varied native entities “because of the persevering with pandemic situations and the standard outcomes from the unique spherical of funding,” in line with the laws.
Council initially accredited a distribution of $500,000 to the Opiate Small Grant program final August. This system was established on the suggestion of the Opiate Abatement Advisory Council, which was created to assist decide tips on how to greatest spend the $104 million in settlement funds the county obtained within the fall 2019 federal opiate lawsuit. The Akron Neighborhood Basis (ACF) has been administering this system.
John Garofalo, ACF vice chairman, acknowledged 28 functions for grant funding had been obtained final 12 months when this system was established, and 16 of these “who’re actually making an attempt to make a distinction within the opioid epidemic” had been funded, utilizing $341,000.
“These grants are really making a distinction,” he stated. “The funds obtained are getting used properly, effectively and successfully.”
Garofalo added that with the $158,000 remaining within the Opiate Small Grant program, the ACF opened grant requests for a second spherical, and $481,000 in requests have been obtained, requiring extra funding.
Council will collect for a daily assembly Feb. 28, one week later than common resulting from Presidents’ Day, at 4:30 p.m. in Council Chambers, positioned on the seventh flooring of the Ohio Constructing at 175 S. Principal St. The assembly additionally might be dwell streamed through Council’s Fb web page.
