DELAWARE - The General Assembly’s Law Enforcement Accountability Task Force is tackling criminal justice reform. ThE TASK FORCE IS DIVIDED INTO four SUBCOMMITTEES THAT FOCUS ON DIFFERENT ISSUES INVOLVING CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM AND POLICING.
The group is holding a listening session on Wednesday, December 2nd, focused on community policing and workforce development subcommittees.
This will be the task force’s second listening session. The first was held in September and was headed by the other two subcommittees, police use of force and transparency.
"The first one we had from the Central Park 5, Brother [Yusef] Salaam came in. He did that one. And the second one we're having, Lynda R. Williams, who is the president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Enforcement Executives,” said Representative Franklin Cooke, the task force co-chair.
The listening session will discuss expansion of citizen involvement with police departments, evaluating recruitment, diversity in police departments, and consistent education and training.
"We are going to talk about crisis intervention, we'll talk about mental health, which is very important, de-escalation, that's very important, and we are working on making this statewide,” said Rep. Cooke.
Other community panelists joining Lynda Williams will be Eugene Young, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League, Daniel Selekman, retired Wilmington Police Department lieutenant, and moderator Alonna Berry, founder and chairwoman of the Bryan Allen Stevenson School of Excellence.
“I think overwhelmingly I’ve been involved in the conversations about race, equity, and policing over the past several months. I understand the value of it for our community here in Delaware, so I am really excited to be apart of the conversation,” said Berry.
Rep. Cooke says this is all about the community.
"We want everyone to be involved. This is the only way we are going to get things done. We have to serve the community, the constituents and citizens of the state of Delaware. We got to hear their voice. We have an opening ear here, we are listening very closely,” said Rep. Cooke.
The listening session will be held Wednesday, December 2nd, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
If you wish to join the conversation and offer comments click here to register. The session will also be streamed here.