Wilmington is in the market for a new police chief.
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.
“Chief Tracy is very highly regarded throughout the nation for his law enforcement knowledge and experience as well as his successful policing techniques,” Purzycki said. “I am of course wishing him well, but I do so with very mixed feelings and emotions. Chief Tracy is an outstanding chief of police and Wilmington has benefited greatly in many ways from his leadership. That said, I know that he will make the right decision for himself and his family and that’s exactly what I want him to do.”
Tracy’s time in Wilmington
Tracy joined the Wilmington Police Department in April 2017, looking to return to law enforcement after departing his position as chief crime strategist for the Chicago Police Department amid leadership changes. His focus on data-driven police strategies became a selling point for Wilmington, and city leadership agreed to increase Tracy’s salary upon hiring.
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At the time, Purzycki had asked for the salary to be increased from $117,073 to $160,000, which was ultimately approved by City Council with five members voting against the measure over concern they were approving a raise for someone who hadn’t been identified. Tracy made over $200,000 in 2021.
Tracy leaves the Wilmington Police Department amid efforts to reform policing in Delaware’s largest city and implement community-based approaches to reduce violent crime. A report released in September highlighted Wilmington’s internal dysfunction, among other structural issues, that must be overcome to effectively combat violence.
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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.”
It’s unclear what figures the city is using to arrive at that conclusion. While homicides may be down this year compared to the total 26 homicides from 2012, just last year Wilmington hit a new homicide record with 41 deaths. There have been 20 homicides in Wilmington so far this year.
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Tracy introduced data-driven policing strategies like CompStat and oversaw the implementation of body-worn cameras during his tenure, but – like other Wilmington police chiefs – struggled to consistently decrease violent crime. The year Tracy joined the department, Wilmington saw 32 homicides. Homicides dipped in 2018 to 23, but have climbed every year since.
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According to the department’s latest CompStat report for the week ending Nov. 20, all violent crime but rapes were down from 2021.
Challenges in Wilmington
The Wilmington department also has been plagued by internal turmoil, from concern about a hostile workplace for people of color and overall lack of diversity to controversy surrounding officers’ excessive use of force.
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In January this year, City Council voted “no confidence” in Tracy’s ability to lead the police department due to the lack of diversity in the department and work environment. Councilmembers also criticized Tracy for his lack of communication with the public.
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“Solutions have been presented, and there have been a number of ways that we’ve just been waiting, waiting, waiting, waiting,” Councilperson Michelle Harlee said during a Jan. 20 Wilmington council meeting. “I think the biggest thing and the main thing that I hear a lot is, when is our chief going to stand up, speak up, show up, or share what is going on with the crime.”
In the news release announcing his departure, Tracy also touted his efforts to implement “community engagement initiatives” in collaboration with social services, public health and nonprofit partners.
“These accomplishments – and many more – have only been possible because of the commitment of our police officers, and I am confident in the capacity of this department to continue to bring about positive change in Wilmington,” he said. “I have had the privilege to lead a department with some of the finest police officers I have encountered in my more than three decades in law enforcement. It is because of their dedication, sacrifice and passion that we have brought about historic reductions in crime in Wilmington.”
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