Community engagement is an essential component of a well-functioning justice system. By strategically engaging the public, justice agencies can foster trust and mutual understanding, build partnerships, and solve local problems. Through community engagement, the justice system can also access local resources, including community volunteers.

New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer has emerged as a trailblazer in police reform and good governance. His administration's commitment to law enforcement reform, ethics, and transparency reflects a dedication to fostering a fair and just community — one where misconduct is confronted directly, and systemic issues are addressed.

To fulfill this requirement, the City of Minneapolis selected The Consortium for Health, Justice, and Safety (referred to as The Consortium) to conduct this assessment. The goal of this assessment is to ensure that the MPD is leveraging modern and emerging technologies that support public safety, transparency, officer safety, and assessment of the operational viability of equipment and technology.

Our approach was anchored in objectivity and encompassed a review of relevant MPD policies and procedures, a survey distributed to all MPD personnel, and interviews and focus groups with MPD sworn officers and civilian staff. This enabled us to understand the experiences and perspectives of MPD employees concerning the available support services. The insights gathered through this process were instrumental in identifying areas for improvement and formulating the recommendations outlined in this report.

In October, the Delaware ACLU filed a federal class action lawsuit against the city of Wilmington asserting that the city's violence reduction unit, known as Operation Safe Streets, not only violates the Fourth and 14th Amendments but also engages in unconstitutional and racially biased policing practices. These practices include unwarranted traffic stops, searches and arrests.

Delaware's recent police reform laws are a commendable move towards enhancing accountability and transparency within the law enforcement system. However, these measures fail to reach the level of comprehensive reform needed to address the systemic issues plaguing the state's police forces.