Feds to help Wilmington fight violence

The U.S. Department of Justice has picked Wilmington to be part of a program that will allow federal law enforcement authorities to directly help the city identify long-term solutions to its violent crime problem.

The Violence Reduction Network, which will officially be announced Monday morning in Wilmington and in Washington, D.C., later that day, also will serve Camden, New Jersey, Chicago, Detroit and neighbors Oakland and Richmond in California.

U.S. Sen. Chris Coons, who helped push for Wilmington's inclusion, said the city will be able to consult with officials from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service, among other agencies.

Federal authorities will come to Wilmington to examine the city's problem and city officials will visit other cities to review successful methods, Coons said.

"Things that drive crime are not that different from Oakland to Camden and from New Orleans to Boston. There are common strategies that make sense," he said. "The federal government shouldn't run law enforcement [locally], but we can analyze what works and help those cities, counties and states that are seeking help and need help, and learn to benefit from the experience of other departments in the country."

One key advantage for the city is the funding comes from the federal government with the U.S. Department of Justice providing experts to work with city leaders, he said.

Wilmington has consistently ranked high among small cities in violent crime. The city has seen 21 people killed, most of them by gun violence, through Sunday. The city is on pace to surpass 2010, when a record 27 people were killed.

Coons said he thinks Wilmington was picked because of the persistence he and other officials representing Wilmington showed in seeking federal assistance.

Coons recalled Wilmington Mayor Dennis P. Williams approaching him in January 2013 – just before Williams assumed office – about getting help with tackling the city's violent crime problem. Coons said he later introduced Williams and his team to federal law enforcement officials.

"It was a fair amount of advocacy by I think all of us," Coons said. "They said, 'We want whatever help we can get.' "

Williams, a former police officer and state representative, said he was a bit surprised but pleased when he learned about the city being included in the network. He said it could have been very easy for other cities with more political pull to get the privilege of working with federal law enforcement officials.

"It gives us another piece of the puzzle," Williams said.

Williams, who leaned on public safety during his 2012 mayoral campaign, had a rocky start to his first term when Wilmington in 2013 saw a record year in gun violence with 154 people shot.

Williams earlier this year called on all officers to make a greater effort to walk the streets as part of long-term plans to improve police's relationship in neighborhoods. The mayor has repeatedly said improving the relationship with residents will significantly ease residents fear of talking to police about crimes.

Williams has stressed at events this year that the lack of cooperation with police has hampered investigations.

"Without the community, you can't police anywhere," he has said.

Williams said he's aware of the root causes for crime, but said he'd like for the federal law enforcement officials to help the city enact solutions. But the mayor said it will also fall on future city leaders to maintain crime-fighting policies enacted during his term.

"If you don't take antibiotics after you're sick, you're in trouble," he said. "We have to stay on target."

While the program runs through the end of 2015, Coons said he plans to look at extending Wilmington's participation in the network.

Contact Yann Ranaivo at (302) 324-2837, yranaivo@delawareonline.com or on Twitter @YannRanaivo.