Police reform continues to be a hot topic in Delaware, and some proposed solutions could have some big outcomes.
Wilmington Assistant Public Defender Misty Seemans says that she started keeping a Word document with a running list of police officers that would repeatedly misconduct themselves on the job, according to her multiple sources.
Her documents contain information about why the issues were happening, and if there have been past complaints and consistent problems with the same officers.
The Civic League for New Castle County gathered tonight to discuss the public having access to police misconduct records with Seemans, and why that can be an imperative step towards making progress.
"About 20 years ago, a Wilmington police officer was accused of rape and he was the criminal defendant," says Seemans.
The prosecutor's office had wanted access to the police misconduct records.
"The city of Wilmington moved to quash that subpoena and said 'We're not giving this stuff over to you,'" Seemans says.
With other cases and situations like this also in mind, she is pushing for lifting secrecy of police misconduct records in Delaware law and told the Civic League of New Castle County Tuesday night that in the Delaware Law Enforcement Bill of Rights, police misconduct records are confidential.
"That always makes me a little bit worried about under the eyes of the law, what does everyone really get unless you're an actual police officer?" says Seemans.
Seeing the same issues repetitively has pushed her to take action in allowing records to be viewed by the public.
In June 2020 after the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police, Seemans reflected on what she as an individual could do to catalyze methods that would help refine law enforcement operations in Delaware.
"Something absolutely terrible has happened, involving police misconduct." Seemans says. "What do I do as a lawyer in the criminal justice field to try to make a change?"
She is currently touring to educate citizens about issues in police reform.
