The Wilmington Police Department’s current use of force policy hasn’t been made public - but according to the city of Wilmington it is currently being revised.
As part of a settlement agreement between the city and the family of Jeremy McDole – an African American man shot and killed by Wilmington police officers in 2015 – members of the McDole family were told they’d have a chance to help shape new policing policies.
McDole’s sister Keandra shared a letter she received last week from the city with Delaware Public Media - offering to meet with the family to review its revisions to the current use of force policy.
“If we’re part of the process – from the letter, you already did the whole process," McDole said. "So what do you need me to do, look over it? I don’t understand that at all.”
The letter doesn’t mention changes to other policing policies, like de-escalation training for officers - something McDole says she wants to discuss.
“That’s very important," McDole said. "Because that whole situation with my brother could have went a while – a totally different way.”
The McDole family was given a choice of two dates to meet Chief Bobby Cummings and Judge Farnan: one next week, and another the following week. McDole wants to meet as soon as possible.
Keandra McDole says the family’s lawyers want to stay involved in the discussion, too.
“They want to read the information as well – and if it’s not enough, or if it’s not what we were expecting – then we’ll take the necessary steps to make sure something is changed," McDole said.
Mayor Mike Purzycki’s spokesman John Rago confirms use of force policy is being revised – but neither he nor Wilmington Police would elaborate. Rago says the revised policy will be made public once it’s completed.
