DOVER, Del.- For weeks, the cries of 'Black Lives Matter!' and 'I can't breathe!' have been heard across the city of Dover, the state of Delaware and the U.S.
Now Dover police say they are not only listening, but taking action. The department announced Thursday it would be reviewing and revising policy to increase accountability.
"We've been doing a lot this week in trying to make sure that we could roll it out to you intelligently and and in a way that we think has sustainability," said Police Chief Thomas Johnson.
Some of those efforts include rewriting policy to specifically outline that choke and strangle holds are to only be used "with the rare and extreme exception of an officer fighting for their life," making de-escalation tactics the primary strategy when called to a scene, and requiring officers to intervene if another officer is observed violating department policy.
Johnson also said the department will expand training to include "anatomical and physiological issues that come into play when force is used to overcome resistance." According to his bio on the station's website, he was a volunteer paramedic for 35 years, and wants his officers to be able to identify the signs of medical distress.
Johnson, who has only been chief since February, has high goals for the department.
"We want to arrive as the Dover Police Department, as an exemplary organization. We want to be that standard that everybody else wants to achieve," he explained.
It's a change NAACP leaders say is needed. Members of the Central Delaware NAACP met with Johnson ahead of Thursday's press conference. Fleur McKendell, second vice president of the Central Delaware NAACP, said it was a productive conversation about the new initiatives, and says they are ready to put them in action.
"We were happy to hear some of the roll outs of the initiatives and the implementations that the Dover police are going to be executing. We think that it's very timely. The one thing we are going to be watching for and we are geared up to respond to is to make sure that it's not just again policy. Because policy is only as good as the paper it's written on.
Another commitment from the chief a more diversified force.
Retired Dover police officer and city Councilman Ralph Taylor said this is something that's been long overdue.
"I believe the police department should directly reflect the citizens that make up the city. When I was on the Dover Police Department, when I came on, there were only five black officers. There were what 100 officers at the time, close to that? That's not even close to fairness. We're not even close!" said Taylor.
The department is also looking for how to pay for body cameras for the force.
Of all the reforms announced Thursday, Johnson says he is ready to be held accountable and raise the standards of the department.
"Come back to me in a year. What's Johnson got done? Come back to me in two years. I got camera's rolling right here," Johnson said.
The department also announced Thursday that a Chief's Advisory Committee, which will be made up of nine community members to advise the chief and provide feedback on current procedures. Johnson says they are currently working to gather members for that committee.
