
Police Chief Robert J. Tracy To Step Down
It looks like Wilmington could be in search for a new police chief.
According to Delawareonline.com, “City Police Chief Robert J. Tracy announced Monday evening in a news release that he is a finalist for a police commissioner position in St. Louis, Missouri, and will be interviewing for the post in a public meeting Tuesday night.”
“Tracy is one of four candidates that the Metropolitan St. Louis Police Department is interviewing for the top law enforcement position, but intends to step down as Wilmington police chief regardless of whether he is selected as St. Louis’ police commissioner.”
Wilmington Mayor Mike Purzycki said in the release that Tracy agreed to assist the mayor in the search for a new police chief and will help with that transition.
The article continued, “The mayor went on to say that under Tracy’s leadership Wilmington’s “homicide rate is at its lowest in a decade and other categories of crime have also shown significant decreases.”
Chief Tracy did have some challenges just like any police chief would. The main challenges were the concerns about “a hostile workplace for people of color and overall lack of diversity to controversy surrounding officers’ excessive use of force.”
There has been reports from police officers in the force of the workplace environment and videos that went viral of the excessive force incidents on social media.
Here at DETV we wish Chief Robert J Tracy success in his futures endeavors in St Louis or wherever he goes, and whoever will be the new chief success as well here in Wilmington.