The following information has been provided by the official New Castle County Delaware website.
The New Castle County Police Accountability Board was created by County Ordinance 23-148. This is the first Police Accountability Board created in the state of Delaware after House Bill 206 became law in 2023, which requires all police departments in Delaware to establish police accountability committees or boards. The goal of the Board is to provide recommendations to the police and policymakers to improve policing in New Castle County and strengthen police/community relations. Email NCCPAB@newcastlede.gov with questions and/or suggestions.
Meetings: The Board meets on the third Tuesday of every month at 6 PM. Locations may vary.
November 2024 Meeting: Tuesday, November 19th at 6:00 PM
Location: Route 9 Library, Black Box Theater, 3022 New Castle Avenue, New Castle, DE 19720
October 2024: No meeting
September 2024 Meeting: Tuesday, September 17th at 6:00 PM
Location: Claymont Library, 400 Lenape Way, Claymont, DE 19703
August 2024 Meeting: Thursday, August 22nd at 6:00PM
Location: NCC Government Center (Christiana Room), 87 Reads Way, New Castle, DE 19720 or Microsoft Teams Agenda; Meeting Minutes
Know Your Rights Training: Tuesday, August 20th at 6:00PM
Location: Leasure Elementary School, 1015 Church Rd, Newark, DE 19702
July 2024 Meeting: Tuesday, July 16th at 6:00PM
Location: Route 9 Library and Innovation Center, 3022 New Castle Avenue, New Castle, DE 19720 & Microsoft Teams (Please register here Version OptionsPolice Accountability BoardHeadline if you plan to attend virtually.)
June 2024 Meeting/Public Forum: Tuesday, June 18th at 6:00PM
Location: Rosehill Community Center, 19 Lambson Ln, New Castle, DE 19720
May 2024 Meeting: Tuesday, May 21st at 6:00PM
Location: Route 9 Library and Innovation Center, 3022 New Castle Avenue, New Castle, DE 19720
April 2024 Meeting (1st meeting): Tuesday, April 16th at 6:00PM
Location: Gilliam Building Multipurpose Room, 67 Reads Way, New Castle, DE 19720 and virtually via zoom; see Agenda
Staff
Kailyn Richards joined New Castle County as full-time liaison to the Board. Kailyn comes to New Castle County from the Delaware Center for Justice (DCJ), where she served as the Director of Policy. In that role, Kailyn chaired DCJ’s Policy Committee, testified in committee to support criminal justice reform legislation, and planned and hosted DCJ’s expungement clinics and annual conference. Contact Kailyn at 302-395-5053 and kailyn.richards@newcastlede.gov
Board Membership
The New Castle County Police Accountability Board includes 11 voting board members and two non-voting members. Eight of the voting members will be recommended by outside organizations to the County Executive with the advice and consent of the County Council.
Voting Members
Sean Green is a justice-involved community activist who was nominated by the ACLU of Delaware to serve on the Board. Mr. Green is currently a Community Education Ambassador, Wilmington Street Team Member and Prevention Specialist at the Center for Structural Equity. He has also partnered with various local institutions such as Christiana Care and University of Delaware working on community engaged participation research focused on such topics as social, behavioral, and educational issues.
Doug Hamilton is a justice-involved community activist who was nominated by the Henrietta Johnson Medical Center to serve on the Board. Mr. Hamilton was previously incarcerated but has completely changed his life and uses his time in prison as a motivation for not only himself, but others who are in similar situations so that this is not the end of their story. Mr. Hamilton is currently employed with the State of Delaware's Division of Substance Abuse and Mental Health, where he works with those individuals who are transitioning back into the community following incarceration. He also works as a Recovery Innovation Community Living Specialist, where he assists those transitioning into an independent living setting while dealing with both mental health and substance abuse challenges and is a positive influence in their lives.
Dr. Tanya Whittle is a criminal justice reform advocate who was nominated by the Delaware Center for Justice to serve on the Board. Dr. Whittle is a sociologist who focuses on criminal justice, deviance & control, social psychology, social institutions, street-level bureaucrats, inequality, and perceptions of justice. Some of her experiences include ride-alongs with police departments and citizen law enforcement academy trainings. Dr. Whittle is currently an adjunct professor at the University of Delaware in the Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice where she teaches courses that include Juvenile Delinquency and Criminal Justice Policy.
Dae’Shawn Nixon is a Criminal Justice Reform Advocate who was nominated by the Delaware Center for Justice to serve on the Board. Mr. Nixon is the President of the Delaware Center for Justice and is deeply committed to fostering a just and equitable society, as well as advocating for a community-centered policing model and believes in proactive, collaborative approaches to public safety. He is the Senior Advisor of Youth and Family Engagement for the U.S. Children's Bureau, Administration for Children and Families, within the U.S. Health and Human Services where he is developing and implementing policy frameworks focusing on economic and social welfare.
Christa Davis was nominated by the New Castle County Vo-Tech School District to serve on the Board. Ms. Davis has been an educator since the age of eighteen. She began her journey at a Montessori school and eventually became an ELA instructor, Literacy Specialist and Equity Coordinator for New Castle County Vo-Tech Schools. In her current roles, she focuses on building equity through literacy research, personal connections, professional learning, student empowerment, and much more.
Norwood Coleman is from the mental health treatment community who was nominated by the National Alliance on Mental Illness to serve on the Board. Mr. Coleman has many years as a community mental health provider, administrator, and advocate for effective community and police relations.
Pamela Brooks-Grimes is an advocate who was nominated by the Delaware Coalition Against Domestic Violence to serve on the Board as a domestic violence survivor since 2010. Ms. Brooks-Grimes has been employed with the State of Delaware for over 20 years working in the Division of Health and Social Services. She has obtained her Child Advocacy Certification and Trauma Informed Certification through Wilmington University, where she is currently enrolled and working towards her Psychology Degree. Ms. Brooks-Grimes is a member of the Non-Profit Organization SOSA (Safe from Online Sex Abuse) and raises awareness about and combats child sex abuse and exploitation.
Dr. Jenna DiEleuterio is an At-Large Member of the Board. Dr. DiEleuterio has been an educator since 2011, where she currently holds the role as Reading Specialist for Brandywine School District. She initiated Community Peace Walks in Knollwood (Claymont area), where several of her middle school students live. These walks bring together the Community, Local Officials and Public Safety personnel to build on the relationship, trust and collaboration between all parties. Dr. DiEleuterio is also a participant and supporter of Safe United Neighborhoods along Pastor Sandra Ben and the Wilmington Police Department.
Kim Eppehimer is an At-Large Member of the Board. Ms. Eppehimer is the CEO and Executive Director of Friendship House, where she is responsible for the sixteen programs that serve those individuals and families experiencing displacement. She is a member of several boards, including Wilmington University's Human Service Department Advisory Board and DelTech's Human Trafficking Advisory Board.
Kevin Evans is an At-Large Member of the Board. Mr. Evans' life changed in 2016 when his son was killed due to senseless gun violence. This led him to retire from the financial industry and collaborate with numerous non-profits in his son's honor, including Nu Friendship Outreach, Inc., S.H.S. Charities, Inc., and Son of Hank Charitable Foundation, Inc. Mr. Evans is the First African American Male Registered Parliamentarian in the history of the State of Delaware, as well as a life member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity.
Bishop George Gibson earned his Bachelor of Science in Intermediate Education at Winston-Salem State University. Soon afterwards, he attended the Lutheran Theological Seminary for their Master of Divinity degree program and Doctor of Ministry program. He is a technical expositor of the Word of God and possesses an immutable preaching dexterity. His acumen in leadership development and preaching prowess has made him "the preacher's preacher." Bishop Gibson is the President of IMAC and will serve as the religious leader on the Board, nominated by IMAC.
Non-Voting Members
Chief of Police's designee: Captain Brian Faulkner
Public Safety Director: Vaughn Bond
Board Responsibilities
The Board generally shall advise the Department of Public Safety and the Division of Police on policy, training, and other issues relating to or affecting the department and the
communities served by the department. Additionally, the Board shall:
1. Conduct community outreach and hold public forums to solicit public feedback;
2. Review and provide recommendation regarding police policies and procedures,
including police misconduct complaints, discipline, use of force, recruiting
practices, and crime preventions strategies. The review of misconduct
complaints, discipline, and use of force will include only information permitted
by Delaware law;
3. Offer constructive criticism to improve police-community relations;
4. Review and analyze data and information regarding arrest data and police
misconduct data; and
5. Provide recommendations on future police reform.
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