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Akron Municipal Drug Court celebrates 20th anniversary
NATALIE PEACOCK
Legal News Reporter
Published: June 4, 2015
People gathered from both sides of the bench to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Akron Municipal Drug Court on May 14 at the Oliver R. Ocasek Building.
Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer spearheaded the specialized docket in 1995 as an alternative sentencing option for drug-addicted individuals charged with a crime. Two decades later, Judge Joy Malek Oldfield heads up the court.
“It’s an important day for the people who are graduating,” Judge Oldfield said. “And it’s a very important day for our community because it shows you that we’re onto the next 20 years of a program that works.”
The court is a collaboration among many entities, including the Akron Police Department and the S.N.U.D Unit, Summit County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services board; the Akron Prosecutor’s Office; Oriana House Inc; The Legal Defender Office; The Akron Municipal Probation Department; Summit County Courts and the Summit County Executive’s Office.
Many prominent people in the legal community attended the event including Judge Oldfield’s drug court team of Chief Deputy Probation Officer Jeff Sturmi, Case Worker Nick Maurer, Drug Court Program Coordinator Emily Beers, Case Worker Brian Alkire, Drug Court Probation Aide Alexa Montesano and Attorney Marcus Lombardi. James Lawrence, president and CEO of Oriana House Inc also was in attendance.
“Cooperation is an easy word to say but not an easy word to always get done,” Lawrence said. “So when I say we had a lot of cooperation it was never easy. Twenty years ago when we first started the drug court, the concept was very controversial but everyone came to the table and we ended up where we are today.”
Jeffrey Sturmi, chief deputy probation officer, called his 19 years with the program a journey.
“For me, it’s been a journey helping people, as many people as I can at every opportunity and every turn,” Sturmi said. “Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. But we don’t quit, we don’t stop, we keep on helping people because, unfortunately, the need is great.”
More than 1,000 people have successfully completed the court’s supervision and treatment program.
“People involved in the criminal justice system, especially folks in the drug court programs, they are certainly not bad people, they’re good people with drug addiction issues,” Sturmi said. “The good news is there’s treatment for that and people do recover from drug addiction and that’s what makes today so special.”
Former drug court clients were also there to share their success stories and the positive difference it made in their lives.
“This is the happiest day of my life,” said one client who was graduating from the program.
Judge Oldfield also announced the formation of the new Akron Municipal Drug Court Citizen’s Advisory committee. The first meeting of the committee will be held today and will meet quarterly. The committee was formed by Judge Oldfield to support the goal of reducing crime through treatment and rehabilitation with community involvement and feedback.
“I have been wanting to help drug court evolve,” Judge Oldfield said later. “We’ve been around for 20 years and just like the drugs change and the issues change, our response has to change too.”
Judge Oldfield says there will be a cross sampling of people, because she does not want to have just one type of person on the committee.
“I just want to make sure that I’m including a broad base of people so I’m not going to have everybody be a business owner, teacher or pastor,” she said. “I want a sample of people like that. The whole point is to diversify the committee in a way that gives it balance. We want people that are participants in the drug court to realize that the entire community cares about their success. There are people who are dedicating their quarterly meetings to improving the process for you.”
Judge Elinore Marsh Stormer, who founded Summiit County’s drug, mental health and reentry court programs was also in attendance.
“It has been my delight to be a drug court judge,” Judge Stormer said. “I use to say it was the most fun you could have with your robe on. You may not appreciate all the fun it is for us, but it is because I notice the graduates. We don’t always get to see the good side. It’s all about personal responsibility and watching someone grow into becoming a tax-paying citizen. It is a pleasure and it has been my pleasure.”
For more information about the Akron Municipal Drug Court services and programs including the Citizen’s Advisory Committee visit http://courts.akronohio.gov/ or contact Probation Officer Jeff Sturmi at 330-375-2760 or jsturmi@akronohio.gov.