April 10, 2025 Story by: Editor
The relationship between Wilmington Police and the city’s African American community remains a concern for a local reparations task force, which is urging the City Council to make meaningful changes.
The Wilmington City Council recently received an update on the progress made toward implementing recommendations from the reparations task force, which were officially adopted last year.
While the presentation did not cover housing or broader economic issues, it focused on enhancing legal protections and civil rights for African American residents.
Dr. Kendra Brumfield-Nawangna, Policy Director, led the presentation. She emphasized the importance of implementing mandatory training for bias-free policing. The training, she explained, must consider how different communities respond to law enforcement, especially those affected by trauma.
“Which would recognize people who have suffered chronic traumas may respond differently, especially when it comes to the community-police relationships,” Dr. Brumfield-Nawangna said.
Coby Owens, who chaired the task force before winning a seat on the City Council in November, criticized the current police training programs. He argued that existing approaches have not served the community effectively.
“We wanted a national expert to be able to come in and actually train our police officers on how to truly deal with the African American community, not what they’re currently doing right now. That has failed them numerous times, and has lead to the death, or harm, of numerous individuals in the city of Wilmington,” Owens said.
The task force also urged the City Council to take additional steps, such as expanding the Community Public Safety Initiative and appointing members to the Wilmington Community Police Accountability Board.
Some of their other proposals, like eliminating cash bail and reimbursing individuals who were exonerated, would require action at the state level.
The task force also highlighted the need to address biased treatment of Black adults and juveniles within Delaware’s correctional facilities. They are asking for more frequent updates from the Governor’s Council on Correction.
Another recommendation includes issuing further public apologies that go beyond the 2016 House Joint Resolution in which Delaware formally apologized for its role in slavery. That resolution passed despite a “no” vote from current GOP Chairman candidate Dave Lawson.
Councilman Chris Johnson raised a question about whether the current backlash against Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) efforts at the federal level might impact local initiatives. However, no one present had a clear answer.
Source: WDEL
