Leaders in Wilmington gathered Tuesday morning in City Council chambers to address recent police violence in Memphis that resulted in the death of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols.
Some lawmakers and community organizers like Coby Owens say Delaware has seen similar cases – Jeremy McDole killed by police in 2015, Lymond Moses in 2021 and Rodney Robinson in 2022.
And Bishop George Gibson, president of the Interdenominational Ministers Action Council, says people are dealing with police brutality across the country.
“No matter what metropolis you’re in or what city you’re in, we’re dealing with police brutality, we’re dealing with our children, some of this other stuff like black on black crime," Gibson says. "And those things don’t really make a difference because at the end of the day there is somebody that has to be put to rest that really didn’t deserve that kind of brutality.”
Gibson says he wants legislation to bring about change – such as amending the Delaware Law Enforcement Officer’s Bill of Rights.
City Council President Trippi Congo says amending LEOBOR is the place to start.
“We can call press conferences, we can maybe not vote for the budget to maybe bring some attention to it," Congo says. "But real change, people keep saying it’s hard, but it’s not hard. You have to be courageous, but it’s not a difficult lift at all. You have to have courageous, brave legislators in Dover who are willing to go up against the FOP, that’s what it really comes down to because they are extremely influential in this state.”
Congo argues police departments are often allowed to investigate themselves when it comes to citizen complaints and police misconduct records are not public, so he says LEOBOR reforms must include transparency.
State Rep. Kendra Johnson (D-New Castle), chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, says she isn’t sure where lawmakers stand on LEOBOR reforms this year, but the Black Caucus Agenda grows each year.
“And every single year more things are placed on that agenda as it relates to transparency," Johnson says. "And literally, justice for all Delawareans, and we’re just going to keep doing it year after year.”
A LEOBOR bill has not yet been filed this session, but has previously included plans to create a community police review board.
