[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6610378,"mediaKeyId","2904497-986761eb51df42bbddadb7fd698e4c17","parentId",2904497,"title","New Castle County Police Accountability Board reports progress but cites ordinance ambiguity, staffing and records problems","audioSeconds",2337,"startMs",385000,"endMs",2722000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904497-986761eb51df42bbddadb7fd698e4c17&start=385&end=2722","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904497-986761eb51df42bbddadb7fd698e4c17/thumbnail_385000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6610378/New-Castle-County/Delaware/New-Castle-County-Police-Accountability-Board-reports-progress-but-cites-ordinance-ambiguity-staffing-and-records-problems","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610378-a34fea0df7cdd277601287c06e69a0be/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432713&Signature=FkLTLAr7V1QMo1cmYU62OkqIsh4K956odocsz~O~ibZJ3DGYcr7yrEGcHrX1Nkgl1LwUB3yteo-s3o00cUzfFT4AfC6XlTJb5bv22-y6puInNZW4s1dd3FFgoZTnAeM~GV6jjHL5iRIKzjFtQygyQLJcDyzgrVKkvgmsv538pSzpUysqwLdJb4YGXR7KymC7lEJuFluKenhUiVMJK0dzAFFDba9WF-XMWTV7CNZd7tPO44LwO5XYCa~PRZyj7m6qGf1ELgDLi22dXQz3mQdy65eh1MUCGs2g-Kt9N-2ImLMSgAO4uclK9GV4P-mhH8cmFDaqW5rX6e9F846x3UgTzQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","New Castle County","date","2025-04-08T00:00:00Z","article","Kim Eppieheimer, chair of the New Castle County Police Accountability Board, told the county Public Safety Committee that the board has met monthly since April (except for a missed January meeting) and has focused on community outreach, reviewing use-of-force policies and de‑escalation training, and creating subcommittees to handle research and education.

The board’s work, Eppieheimer said, has been slowed by an administration transition that interrupted staffing and access to records, differing legal advice about training requirements, and questions about what the ordinance allows. \"We have 9 voting members and 2 nonvoting members that are part of the New Castle County Police,\" Eppieheimer said. \"We have been assigned Art Lee as our new part time staff person, and that's been wonderful. ... We have worked on, but have yet been able to solidify, a citizen feedback form ... halted due to concerns that officer names might be put in that written form, which could violate FOIA.\"

The board said it has been working to clarify whether required training must be delivered by county police or may be completed through other providers; Eppieheimer said the current legal advice is that the 20‑hour minimum training will be provided in conjunction with New Castle County Police and that the board is arranging ride‑alongs and citizen-focused training opportunities.

Council members pushed the board for specifics. Council President Williams Johns asked how much time board members spend with officers; Eppieheimer said meetings, ride‑alongs and the 20‑hour training provide the formal opportunities. Councilman Street and other members urged the council to avoid treating volunteers as if under oath and to help remove hurdles volunteers face. Several council members, including Councilman Koneko and Councilman Toole (the committee co‑chairs), said they had met with the administration to resolve notice and minute‑posting problems and asked for clearer administrative support.

Tanya Whittle, chair of the board’s research committee, told the committee that some of the PAB’s early work appears to be inaccessible after the staff transition: \"All of the work that we have done in the last year...we're having to redo, including redoing and revising that public feedback form ... we have no access to any of our prior files.\" She said the board would ask county IT and legal staff to attempt recovery of public records and confirmed the board would seek a legal opinion about preserved public records.

Board counsel Colleen Norris was identified in the meeting as the board’s legal adviser. Committee members asked whether Norris would provide consistent interpretations of the ordinance; Eppieheimer said Norris is the board’s counsel and provides legal guidance, and some disagreements about interpretation have arisen because past legal advice differed from current advice.

Eppieheimer said the board has a draft annual report and expects to deliver the annual report to the council and county law and public safety offices \"probably closer to April 30,\" and noted the board has an extension until July to complete certain required items. The board plans a public town hall April 11 at the Route 9 Library, 6–8 p.m., to solicit community input on transparency, accountability and public safety.

Committee members offered to help the board re‑establish a strategic plan, improve outreach, and clarify the board’s scope. Several members expressed appreciation for the volunteers’ service and urged the administration to ensure the board has dedicated resources and timely legal interpretation so the PAB can operate effectively.

Ending: The committee asked administration staff to provide a legal opinion after the meeting about access to prior PAB files and to clarify whether the liaison position supporting the board should be full time per the ordinance; the meeting record shows the council expects administration follow‑up but does not record a formal vote on those requests.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","New Castle County - Public Safety Committee - Apr 08, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Kim Eppieheimer, chair of the New Castle County Police Accountability Board, told the county Public Safety Committee the board has met monthly since April, reviewed use‑of‑force and de‑escalation policies, and formed subcommittees — but said progress has been slowed by an administration transition, differing legal advice about training, lost files and the loss of a full‑time staff liaison.","taxTitle","New Castle County, Delaware","taxId",12637,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6610369,"New Castle County EMS chief flags coverage gaps south of C&D Canal, seeks funding for full‑time Medic 10 and new facility",858,2943000,3801000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904497-986761eb51df42bbddadb7fd698e4c17&start=2943&end=3801","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904497-986761eb51df42bbddadb7fd698e4c17/thumbnail_2943000.jpg","/articles/6610369/New-Castle-County/Delaware/New-Castle-County-EMS-chief-flags-coverage-gaps-south-of-CD-Canal-seeks-funding-for-fulltime-Medic-10-and-new-facility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610369-e2dc058d6e4026824e6faede385543bc/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432713&Signature=gho96KxNueW9cepZwMFSyVv7EAa8Yyl0rRul0i3hvHQp1pKINRL-MYDXizaYZxnSp22Pscu274~sdEC3A5mOTRXUEVW5MqyMelmFR6lYPmGCERlidQ0ZzOf5ekqQPkaSEjPDHwPy8VBJ1c-q1EcuYd0z7Jl7tEkAZtWJTKGwlIv63mI9d2Ge1INkMDUQfAwb35tTLpvWNMP3MB37~2S2vz1~MsPetU75D2x1Twq8GrgOh8LwlTPvV99v48QcBwd7owBNwebRSswNTVp5~~7WXgDa7lK3wnnoSaGgmtS~B1SPlEsAqIzGCsEcJ1ZyFCaoHjHbyj4EkK1h8f3QYYgZMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mark Logerman, chief of Emergency Medical Services for New Castle County, presented a data‑driven overview of county EMS responses in 2024 and focused on coverage south of the Chesapeake & Delaware Canal.

Logerman displayed a map showing call concentrations in Wilmington, along the I‑95 corridor and in Newark, and identified two southern hotspots near Boyd’s Corner and Middletown that coincide with current paramedic station locations. He said the county has two primary EMS stations in the southern area: Station 5 (605 North Broad Street) and Station 10 (a power‑shift unit located at Odessa Fire Station 4). \"That map there... the red triangle, each red triangle is a response that a New Castle County Paramedic unit made in the year 2024,\" Logerman said.

Logerman said Medic 10 at Boyd’s Corner operates as a power shift from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. \"Full coverage is we had 7AM to 7PM covered by 2 paramedics,\" he said; the chief said some days had only partial coverage or a single paramedic on duty. He explained county protocol requires a two‑paramedic response and that agreements with local fire companies allow a single paramedic to transport a patient while the second paramedic remains to preserve coverage.

On cross‑county responses, Logerman said Newcastle County units responded into Kent County 50 times in 2024; within the area formally covered by Smyrna and Clayton fire companies, the county made 25 responses. Council members raised equity and funding concerns: Councilman Carter said Kent County taxpayers may be subsidizing services delivered in southern New Castle County and urged review of intercounty arrangements, and Councilman Street emphasized mental‑health support for first responders.

Delaware City Mayor Paul Johnson and community member Rob Bullock urged full‑time staffing for Medic 10 and additional funding for paramedics, with Johnson noting frequent partial coverage and that southern areas are more dispersed and take longer to reach hospitals. Logerman said the county receives 30% reimbursement from the state for paramedic services and that Governor Meyer's revised FY26 budget proposes to increase that to 35%.

Logerman also briefed the committee on planning for an EMS/Public Safety building near Route 13 and Boyd's Corner Road. He said design consultants have submitted proposals to Public Works, the county has requested letters of support from the congressional delegation and staff would present a revised budget to the executive office. Public Works is reportedly structuring the design to allow phasing so a facility could be built in stages; the committee did not receive a final cost estimate in the meeting.

Ending: Council members asked for follow‑up data on out‑of‑district responses and encouraged consideration of funding options to make Medic 10 full time; the committee heard public support for increased paramedic coverage and more mental‑health support for first responders.","Chief Mark Logerman presented 2024 response maps showing concentrated call volume in Wilmington and Newark and two southern hotspots; he described staffing challenges for Medic 10 (Boyd's Corner) and detailed cross‑county responses with Kent County, and reported a state reimbursement increase to 35% in the governor's FY26 revised budget.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6610373,"Public Safety Committee reviews four state grant appropriations totaling $203,477; two slated for immediate vote",175,121000,296000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2904497-986761eb51df42bbddadb7fd698e4c17&start=121&end=296","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2904497-986761eb51df42bbddadb7fd698e4c17/thumbnail_121000.jpg","/articles/6610373/New-Castle-County/Delaware/Public-Safety-Committee-reviews-four-state-grant-appropriations-totaling-203477-two-slated-for-immediate-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6610373-bfa8af6e1c6ea599867847581eab789b/orig.mp4?Expires=1770432713&Signature=S8Uzz8Odixs7dnsZ4H~3bfUjDFrkdHsTTFoQS5WCNdVdGHulHVHGNa8GFNVB95ZVZN2CAU0XAkGNbRflawq2iSLsCfKEgG-VvEi4lMsi-gX9nEOF7NthUvumcjF9DOXyC6zOX~DpoDaD5b13~qWMHbPHE93F9xASUzLrFwSfL255xtA8Sq5p9M3G94uHcIAFEd3ZaYlhzTNZHPHFpkr0LwgX6HclOyGxyuGNAfsE00L1s8P~0n-3kmros4sMOmLOB8q1gfow2c7x46~RC7srSHQAKFHywrw1hLDkhaE8ne6XS~VQ4HgZAKWQ2Gcl0iWeKE9isFdJoY~PevjSEsRFbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Public Safety Committee reviewed four ordinances that would appropriate state grant funds to the Department of Public Safety, Division of Police.

Councilman Koneko presented the items. Ordinance 25-027 would appropriate $39,600 from the Delaware Department of Justice Special Law Enforcement Assistance Fund to a Cellebrite technology upgrade grant to be administered by the Division of Police. Ordinance 25-028 would appropriate $45,000 in program income to a community policing grant to address community concerns. Ordinance 25-039 would appropriate $41,706.96 in emergency illegal drug enforcement (EIDE) funds from the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security for overtime and equipment to support drug unit surveillance and special operations; the committee was told 25-039 would be voted on April 22. Ordinance 25-040 would appropriate $77,170.44 in State Aid to Local Law Enforcement (SALLE) funds for officer specialized training, certifications and overtime.

Combined, the four ordinances presented in committee amount to $203,477.40. Committee members asked no substantive questions during the presentations and no public commenters were recorded. The clerk noted that ordinances 25-027 and 25-028 were scheduled to be voted on that evening; ordinances 25-039 and 25-040 were scheduled for vote on April 22.

Ending: The transcript records presentation and scheduling for votes but does not record the results of the scheduled votes.","Committee reviewed four ordinances to appropriate state grant funds for police technology, community policing, drug enforcement and officer training; two ordinances were scheduled for a committee vote the same day and two were set for April 22.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

New Castle County Police Accountability Board reports progress but cites ordinance ambiguity, staffing and records problems

New Castle County EMS chief flags coverage gaps south of C&D Canal, seeks funding for full‑time Medic 10 and new facility

Public Safety Committee reviews four state grant appropriations totaling $203,477; two slated for immediate vote