On Monday Colonel Vaughn Bond Jr. in an effort to continue to build upon our foundation of community policing, invited Keith James, a local proponent of social and criminal justice reform to speak to the police academy recruits.
Keith was one of the primary organizers of the peaceful protest that occurred in the city of Wilmington. He is a proponent of responsible police reform and community policing. During his conversation with the 47th Recruit Class, he discussed the need for mutual respect and the false narrative that all protestors were anti-police. He also touched on the importance of building trust with the community as a way to prevent and solve crime.
Keith’s message is that of hope, equality and respect amongst the community and the police.
“ I am pleased that Mr. James accepted my invitation to talk to our police academy. I feel it is very important for the young recruits to hear and ask questions of those we serve, especially a community activist. Mr. James is the same age as many of our recruits which is a positive. Hopefully, this is the start of a partnership that will continue throughout the careers of these recruits and ultimately strengthen the community and police relationship.” said New Castle County Police Chief Colonel Vaughn Bond Jr.
