The decision to name Wilfredo Campos as Wilmington’s newest chief of police wasn’t a difficult one for Mayor Mike Purzycki.
Shortly after former Chief Robert Tracy informed city officials late last year that he’d be leaving the department, Purzycki and his staff began approaching potential candidates from within the department, the mayor said last week.
Most of the questions Purzycki posed were typical – would you want the job, and what would the department look like with you as head? What are the qualities that make a good chief?
While the answers varied, one inquiry elicited a remarkable response, Purzycki said: Everyone asked said if they were not chosen for the position, they’d like to see Campos as the new leader.
With the chief now nearly two weeks into his new role, Delaware Online/The News Journal sat down with him to learn his priorities and what mark he hopes to make on the Wilmington Police Department.
MORE ABOUT CAMPOS:New Wilmington police chief makes history as first Hispanic police head in Delaware
Campos‘ responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Crime reduction strategy as shootings trend downward
In Wilmington last year, 107 people were shot − the fewest number of victims since 2018, when 78 people were injured or killed by gunfire in the city, according to Delaware Online/The News Journal’s shooting database.
Question: With a downward trend in shootings over the last several years, what is working and what can be improved on?
Campos: We continue the methodology of CompStat, of having the same officers working the same districts and working with our local, federal and state partners to try to reduce gun crime. Those successes (in 2018 and 2019) were met with a pandemic … which made it very difficult. Crime spiked up, schools were closed and kids were out of school, so there was a whole lot going on during that time. The thing is, we stayed consistent with our strategies and we never changed them. Then we started seeing the successes as we were coming out of the pandemic.
We can’t do this alone. We need the community to assist us. Not only the police agencies – local, state and federal – but also community residents. That’s why it’s important to go to these community meetings to have that communication, to listen to the residents to see what their issues are. That way you can respond and formulate a plan with your officers so that they can go out there and take care of the issues.
Community engagement, officer-resident relations a priority
Just as a stark reduction in gun violence won’t occur overnight, improving relationships between police and Wilmington’s residents will take time.
One of the aspects of policing Campos most enjoys is community interaction, something he said he hopes to instill in city officers.
Campos: The stamp I want to put on this department is to continue and enhance those community engagements we (were already doing). I’m in the process now of putting a unit together to build on those successes, to have officers work in certain districts so (residents) have an additional face that they can relate to. That additional face can work with them for those longer-term problems that seem to take a lot of police time.
Building relationships is ongoing and it’s not just when something negative happens that I’ll show my face. Building relationships is being out there, being visible, being available, but at the same time having my team out there as well. Obviously, I can’t do it all but I am going to hold myself accountable to go out to the communities and build those relationships. I’m not just going to go one time and then you don’t see me for a couple years.
Health of officers, department key to attracting job candidates
For years, police agencies nationwide have reported declining numbers of applicants, with a number of departments saying they struggle to recruit qualified candidates. Delaware law enforcement agencies are not immune to these struggles either.
At a time when fewer people are going into the law enforcement profession, what is Wilmington doing to retain officers and where can the department focus its recruitment efforts?
READ:‘Trying to put a Band-Aid on a dam:’ What happens when too few people want to be cops?
Campos: The last couple of years have been really difficult on police officers. Nationally, we’ve gone through a lot with just the pandemic alone, (which has) also affected society as a whole. We have to understand that police officers are human beings and they have families and issues of their own that they have to take care of. We have to show that when they come to work we support them, beginning with me. They have to know they have my full support to be able to go out there and do the job that is required of us. There are a lot of things that we are going to be talking about as a team to try to get officers assistance if they need it, because when you have an officer wellness program that’s really, really good, it just provides an even better service to residents.
As far as recruitment, we have to get into the community to make sure that we spread the message of what the job does and what it entails, and how you can come to work and help someone who is at the lowest moment in their lives. You can make that difference and you can go home knowing that you made a difference in someone’s life, and we have to spread that message in the community. We have to start at an early age with the youth and then build from there. You can’t just wait and sit back and hope that people come to you.
Serving Wilmington residents beyond traditional police work
Several police departments in Delaware have added mental health counselors to their agencies to assist officers with calls related to mental health and substance abuse.
Does Wilmington have anything similar in the works, and if not, what does city police work look like?
Campos: We’re working with our city partners, Licensing and Inspection and also our state social services partners to bring in resources that (officers) can provide (to residents). I’m looking to expand on that.
(A counselor) has not been discussed, but police work is always evolving so we have to look at everything and see what’s best for the residents of this city. As a chief, I would be not really doing my job if I didn’t look to see how I can improve this department and improve the services to the city.
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