Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Releases Statement of Support for Black Lives Matter Protests, Calls for Police Reform Measures

Following a week of protests across Delaware and the nation in response to George Floyd’s killing by police officers and continued police brutality towards Black citizens, today, Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware (CPBD) released a statement of support for the protests.

The group also announced it is expanding its platform for improving transparency, accountability and diversity in Delaware to include police reform measures proposed by the Delaware NAACP to curb law enforcement’s use of excessive force and introduce accountability. CPBD will advocate for mandatory body cameras for police officers, diversity programs to increase recruiting and hiring of Black and Brown police officers, and the abolition of a provision in the Delaware Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights that allows results of investigations to be concealed from the public.

Said Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware Campaign Manager Chris Coffey, “We stand in solidarity with the protesters in Wilmington, Dover, and throughout the country who are peacefully mourning the death of George Floyd. Their demands for accountability for the systematic discrimination and brutality towards Black Americans by law enforcement officers are important and must be heard. Tragically, we’re seeing the same lack of transparency, diversity, and accountability in Delaware law enforcement that we have been working to expose in the state’s courts and justice system.

“Governor Carney, Attorney General Jennings, and the state Legislature need to take meaningful steps to reform this state’s entire criminal justice system. Just like we need cameras in courtrooms, we need mandatory body cameras for police officers; just like we need diversity in the courts, we need programs to recruit and hire Black Delawareans to the police force; just like we need judges to disclose any conflicts that could undermine justice, we need to abolish provisions that shield police officers from accountability and justice.

“The time is now for Delaware’s leaders to fight for meaningful structural reforms to protect the state’s Black communities. No more excuses, we need action.”

Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware is a group made up of more than 5,000 members including employees of the global translation services company TransPerfect, as well as concerned Delaware residents, business executives and others. They formed in April of 2016 to focus on raising awareness with Delaware residents, elected officials, and other stakeholders about the issue. While their primary goal of saving the company has been accomplished, they continue their efforts to fight for more transparency in the Delaware Chancery Court. For more information on Citizens for a Pro-Business Delaware or to join the cause, visit DelawareForBusiness.org.

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