Rehoboth/Lewes police accountability group meets

The Rehoboth Beach/Lewes Police Accountability Committee held its first meeting June 24. Introductory in nature, it served as an information-gathering session for committee members.

The committee was formed as the result of a 2023 police accountability law that, among other things, requires all the state’s police departments, either individually or in combination with other departments, to create local accountability boards.

While the committee is solely advisory, there are six voting members, three from each town. Representing Rehoboth Beach are Rev. Eddie Jusino, Kim Leisey and Mary Good. Representing Lewes are Dan DeSimone, Dan Zagchem and Andrew Glassman.

There are also three non-voting members — Rehoboth Beach Police Chief Keith Banks, Lewes Police Chief Thomas Spell and Rehoboth Beach Police Lt. Mark Sweet.

Banks, Spell, Rehoboth Beach City Manager Taylour Tedder and Lewes City Manager Ellen Lorraine McCabe all offered brief remarks on the importance of the committee to open dialogue and bring greater transparency between the police departments and the communities they serve.

Following the opening remarks, Zagchem was elected as chair and Wood was elected as vice chair. Bylaws were then approved.

There was a brief discussion on what should be included on the agenda for the next meeting. Wood said she would like to get as much available data as possible on police and crime trends, and also an overview of what each police department does.

Banks said Police Officer Standards and Training Commission Executive Director Sean E. Moriarty will be at the next meeting to go over in detail the responsibilities and training requirements for committee members.

Peter Schott, representing Speak Out Against Hate’s First Responders Action Group, was the only member of the public to speak. He encouraged the committee to let the general public know about future meetings as far in advance as possible.

Banks said flyers will be distributed in the future, and a joint website is in the process of being set up.

The Rehoboth/Lewes committee isn’t the first one locally. The Southeastern Sussex Regional Police Accountability Committee represents the police departments of Dewey Beach, Fenwick Island, Ocean View and South Bethany. Milton has formed its own accountability committee.

The Rehoboth/Lewes committee is scheduled to meet quarterly and to rotate locations. The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for 10 a.m., Tuesday, Oct. 28, at Lewes City Hall, 114 E. Third St.