DE’s Most Intriguing Legislative Races Of 2024: #5–RD 16

Following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis cops back in 2020, some states tried and, occasionally succeeded, in reforming police practices.

In Delaware, we had a big show promising change that took place on the steps of Legislative Hall.  Which was followed by Governor Carney appointing a task force comprised almost entirely of cops and those who hire cops.  And a legislative working group appointed by the ex-cop Speaker and chaired by an ex-cop legislator. Because the real Delaware response was to stop police reform before it had a chance to get started. Using the Delaware Way technique of appointing working groups and then allowing them to drag out their work until (they hoped) the furor died down. The ex-cop legislator was and is Franklin Cooke.  You may recall when Cooke dismissed calls for some representation by community activists on his panel because he was ‘looking for folks who can be objective’.  Which in Cop-speak meant that anybody who had been victimized by police or who were advocates for those who had experienced police violence were ineligible.  Which is how we ended up with ‘garbage in/garbage out’.  The cops ran the show, and LEOBOR reform was yet another victim of police abuse.

In hindsight, it’s amazing that a bill as good as Sen. Lockman’s first LEOBOR attempt even saw the light of day.  It was because the Senate is light-years ahead of the House.  Which is why Franklin Cooke must be targeted (electorally) in 2024.  Genuine LEOBOR reform, as opposed to the noodling around the edges we saw this year, is not that far away.  The House is close to being an engine of progressive change.  Franklin Cooke, a Black legislator representing a predominantly Black district, is one of the impediments.  He is also, and this is progress, just about the last cop-turned-legislator standing, along with Schwartzkopf, who is retiring in 2024.  Cop-to-legislator has been a time-dishonored career path for decades, thanks largely to the ability of cops to pocket that first pension at an early age, then go after one (or two) more before retiring to Suxco.  Larry Mitchell was the most recent involuntary winner of that trifecta:  Cop to legislator while also serving as ‘Head of Security’ at Del-Tech. ‘Involuntary’ because DeShanna Neal beat his cop ass in 2022.

Bottom line is that three people were largely responsible for killing police accountability in Delaware post-George Floyd:  Speaker Schwartzkopf, Gov. Carney, and Franklin Cooke.

Schwartzkopf is retiring, Carney is term-limited.  Leaving Franklin Cooke.  Just this morning, the Delaware NAACP blistered the lack of transparency of police operations in Delaware:

Black people are not safe in Delaware, the NAACP said at a press conference Wednesday, as it intensified pressure on state authorities to be more transparent and release video of last week’s fatal officer-involved shooting of Tremaine Jackson.

Police said Jackson had been shoplifting at Lowe’s Home Improvement when the altercation and eventual gunfire ensued last Thursday.

NAACP members also called for the disbandment of special police units involved in the Aug. 31 deadly incident in the New Castle area, adding these units have brutalized the Black community.

Folks, that’s Cooke’s home turf.  Here’s his district map.  Yep, the latest police shooting took place there.  Cooke and Schwartzkopf have led the charge in the House to prevent police accountability.  The 16th RD is overwhelmingly Black and Democratic.  The registration numbers are as follows:  12,049 D; 2167 R; 3835 I. 

The only time that Cooke had a primary was back in 2018 , right after Rep. J. J. Johnson, who was everything that Cooke isn’t, retired.  He got over 46% of the vote in a three-way. That, of course, was before he cast his lot with the Thin Blue Line against the communities he allegedly serves.  A challenger had emerged in 2022, but I believe my sources who told me that they were run off by the NCC cops, who allegedly regularly surveilled the prospective challenger’s address.  Personal To Matt Meyer, (who was not aware of what was going on):  If someone emerges to challenge Cooke, let the cops know that any intimidation will be met with by dismissal.

To the Delaware NAACP:  If you want to push for police accountability, help recruit someone to take Cooke out.  A good challenger defeats this guy.

That would be a major step forward for LEOBOR reform, for the residents of the 16th RD, and for the Delaware General Assembly.