By Craig Anderson

DOVER — Nine subcommittee members of a task force designed to increase police accountability and transparency issued a letter Monday expressing a lack of confidence in the possibility of achieving results based on efforts made so far.

Addressed to state officials and Law Enforcement Accountability Task Force members, the letter outlined disappointment in the group, established in June 2020 in the wake of social unrest connected to George Floyd’s death at the hands of a police officer in Minnesota.

“As members of the subcommittees of the (LEATF), we are disappointed to say that we do not have confidence that the LEATF will provide timely and meaningful recommendations for reform on police transparency and accountability,” the letter began.

The members said they continue to wait for the task force to provide recommendations for police reform, something they say had been targeted for the start of the legislative session in January. The task force held its first meeting in August 2020.

Also, the representatives said, “Black and brown communities have not been adequately involved in the process. Task force and subcommittee members have not done enough to engage individuals who have experienced police violence, over-policed communities, or communities of color in the public meetings. Measures to ensure public access to the meeting were also not taken.”

The shortcomings, according to the letter, have included meetings being held during regular working hours and that “publication of meeting dates and times were difficult to find, alongside information on how to access the virtual platform.”

In addition, there’s an overrepresentation of police-connected task force voting members and those on subcommittees, the letter said. According to the group, six of 18 appointed voting task force members are associated with police organizations and of 72 subcommittee members, 21 are associated with police.

In response to the correspondence, LEATF co-chair,man state Rep. Franklin Cooke, D-New Castle, issued a statement saying he was “proud of what we’ve accomplished so far and of what’s coming in the near future.

“The members of the Law Enforcement Accountability Task Force and its subcommittees were chosen to reflect the widest possible spectrum of viewpoints and perspectives, and they’ve been working hard for months to identify the best avenues for meaningful, positive change in how policing is conducted across Delaware. We are committed to this process and to producing results.

“The topics up for discussion are tough, with passionate advocates on all sides of the issues and fundamental differences of opinion that run deep. But our process has been deliberate, well-organized and above all inclusive. We have held listening sessions and conducted numerous public meetings where we have solicited and welcomed public input, and we will continue to do so.”

He added, “The work we’re doing takes time, but we are making progress.”

Through a spokesman, Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings declined comment. A request for comment from Gov. John Carney’s office was not immediately returned Wednesday evening.

The Delaware Law-Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights drew scrutiny from the members, who called for it to be amended, along with “the Freedom of Information Act to ensure public access to police misconduct records and to allow for the establishment of effective Civilian Review Boards that have the ability to monitor, investigate, and respond to police misconduct without undue interference from collective bargaining agreements and the police union.”

The letter called on the Delaware Legislative Black Caucus to push for “meaningful” amendments to the LEBOR, along with the Delaware General Assembly and Gov. Carney’s administration.

“Delaware’s secrecy of police disciplinary records allows misconduct to thrive,” said Kailyn Richards of the Delaware Center for Justice and a member of the Workforce Development Subcommittee.

“Recently, the footage of the killing of Lymond Moses (in Wilmington) was made public by (New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer). It was a historic moment in transparency for Delawareans, but that kind of transparency should not be given at the whim of who happens to be in leadership.

“It should be a right of the people, (ingrained) in state law.”

The group said it drafted a bill with specific amendments to the LEBOR that it hoped could be introduced as legislation by April 30. The draft bill was shared with the letter’s recipients and LEATF members, according to a news release.