Commission recommends big changes for Wilmington Police Department

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The Wilmington Public Safety Strategies Commission approved a sweeping  Wilmington Police series of recommendations that stressed a need to employ technology, proven strategies  and an organizational structure that have worked elsewhere in reducing the crime rate.

Click on links below for summaries of report.

Executive Summary WPSSC

Findings and Recommendations Final

The nine-member group, including co-chairs Lew Schiliro, Secretary of the Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DSHS), and Joseph Bryant, Jr.,director of Public Safety for New Castle County, voted to back a report drafted by the Police Foundation and Vigilant Resources International – two public safety and police consulting firms retained by the state.

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Gov. Jack Markell praised the work of the group and Wilmington Police Chief Bobby Cummings.

“First and most significantly, Wilmington has a sufficiently large police force to bring appropriate resources to bear on this issue,” the executive summary stated.

The report also noted that homicides and other serious crimes are not widespread and   “if appropriate strategies are brought to bear on those small areas, significant reductions in crime can be obtained.”

“All of the issues identified in this report are fixable, and none is exclusive to Wilmington. Many of the building blocks for reform are already in place – a city and community that recognizes the need for change, a WPD administration that is open to new strategies, and supportive local partners,” the report stated.

The group was officially established by House Joint Resolution No. 2, which was sponsored by the entire Wilmington delegation of the General Assembly and co-sponsored by all other members of the legislature.

The group’s formation came as the city’s high homicide rate became a national story and the business community expressed concerns about the issue, although the crime rate is relatively low in downtown.

The report took note of the city’s large police force, based on its population, but noted that a lack of regular police academies to deal with attrition and heavy use of excused absences lead to overtime and shifts that are not always fully staffed.

A summary of the report also noted that the city lacks a community policing strategy that engages the communities and keeps officers in hotspots over sustained periods.

The lack of community policing has long been noted in criticism of the department. On a related topic, it was recommended that the department better use technology in keeping track of officers and ensuring their safety.

The report also said the department should standardize practices in homicide investigations and make better use of data to take a pro-active approach to fighting crime, rather than reacting when shots are fired.

Other recommendations called for the city to return to participation in task forces from partner agencies and expand its camera system that now covers a limited area.

Numerous other recommendations were made to improve the command structure.

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