Wilmington City Councilmember Shané Darby has called for an independent, external audit of the city’s Police Department since her first term, when she worked with former Mayor Mike Purzycki’s administration.
Darby continues to demand change after a Wilmington police officer shot and killed 19-year-old Kadir Skinner this month. Skinner allegedly aimed a loaded firearm at a crowd of people and ran from the police, then was shot in the back.
Darby and her colleagues have passed resolutions in the past calling for the same, but an external audit has never been conducted. The city has conducted internal audits on the Department.
“But that audit did not look at the things that I'm interested in looking at, which is use of force, the disparities that exist in stops, or disparities that exist in arrest for Black people in the city, right?” Darby said. “Those things were not looked at in an audit.”
Darby said she’s looking to Mayor John Carney’s administration for support.
Carney released a written statement Monday evening expressing his condolences to Skinner’s family and loved ones.
“I recognize that incidents like this affect our entire community,” Carney said. “They raise difficult questions, evoke strong emotions, and understandably leave many residents seeking answers. Those answers must come through a thorough, independent, and transparent investigative process.”
The officer who shot and killed Skinner has been placed on administrative leave and the Delaware Department of Justice is investigating the incident.
The Wilmington Police Department is also conducting two investigations: one to determine whether the law was violated and another to determine if internal policy was violated.
Darby said she wants a police force that is transparent and trusted by community members.
“Body cameras were intended to increase transparency and public trust,” Darby wWhen footage is withheld for extended periods without clear communication, it creates more questions than answers. At the same time, the community’s account of what occurred differs significantly from the official police narrative. Those differences reinforce why independent oversight is essential.”
Carney’s written statement also said more information will be made public as it becomes available through the investigation process.
