What A Difference An Actual Report Makes, Right Mr. Mayor?

Yesterday, Mayor Williams had his last Town Hall. I’ll say more about that in another post. But he said to WDEL yesterday:

Wilmington Mayor Dennis Williams is making it clear he’s not a huge fan of the Wilmington Public Safety Strategies Commission.

“What’s the big deal about this crime commission?” Williams posed on WDEL’s Delaware’s Morning News.

“Everybody that put a few dollars up, talked about this crime commission being so great,” Williams said. “Where were these people when I asked them to support Wilmington many years ago?”

But when the Wilmington Public Safety Strategies Commission was authorized by the Governor, this is what he had to say:

“Since taking office in 2013, I have recognized the value and necessity of State assistance in fighting violent crime,” Williams said in a written statement. “I have consistently lobbied for Governor Markell and the State’s support in tackling the violent crime in Wilmington. I would like to thank the Governor and City Delegation for their steadfast support and commitment, as we work collectively on the issue of eradicating the crime and violence in our city.”

He told The News Journal (with Theo Gregory by his side) back in January that he would closely review the recommendations and (as you can see) welcomed the help. So what happened? If you read the WDEL article closely, it looks as though he is pretty miffed that he is not getting enough kudos for Operation Disrupt. Right? Operation Disrupt is meant to be a temporary operation and the homicide rate is not plummeting — there have been 11 homicides according this this since January 1 til today this year, while there were 8 in the same period last year. 11 homicides is almost 2.5 homicides per month, which looks to put us on a pace to beat last year’s number. Are the New Journal’s numbers right? I don’t know and they don’t source their data here (hey, NJ, please do this!). But I don’t think that they’re in the business is juking the stats, either.

And while I’m here, there were shootings in WCC this afternoon (when Operation Disrupt is operational) by Hicks Anderson. When the kids were out playing. Don’t tell me this thing is working. Just don’t tell me that.

The recommendations of the WPSSC are not meant as a temporary bandaid — they are meant to support the officers of the WPD with state-of-the-practice policing opportunity. This can’t be a punitive thing — what organization that relies on specific, high-level skill sets of its employees doesn’t invest in re-inventing itself routinely to make sure that it is working at the top of its game? Hospitals do this all of the time — they have to. This report and its detailed roadmap to a more effective force would have long-term impacts on Wilmington’s safety. Unlike a high tempo temporary operation that is basically wearing out your staff and neglects other key police work. Like Community Policing.

The Governor, the *entire* state legislature, the Commissioners and all of the WPD officers and community members who cooperated with this report all showed up to support Wilmington. All of us. Time for you to join us, Mayor Williams.