Jessica Masulli Reyes

The News Journal

The Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 1 has voted no confidence in Mayor Dennis P. Williams and his administration.

The city's police officers have been working since July 2011 without a contract.

Williams' spokeswoman said the vote of no confidence is nothing more than a tactic by the union's board.

A rift between Wilmington and its police force grew this week after the union representing the city's officers voted no confidence in Mayor Dennis P. Williams and his administration.

The vote Monday – followed by a statement from the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge No. 1's elected board of directors on Wednesday – sent a scathing message that the officers are fed up with working for five years without a contract or pay raise and do not agree with Williams' crime-reduction strategies that have failed to reduce the number of shootings in the city.

"As police officers ourselves, we cannot bear to watch our city sink deeper into a violence that threatens our citizens' safety while plan after failed plan produces zero results," said a statement from the union. "As union officials, we cannot rest while our members are treated less favorably than literally every other city employee while the mayor continues to throw the taxpayers' money at an issue that he alone has the power to resolve."

The move, which is a symbolic gesture on behalf of the city's approximately 310 rank-and-file officers, came hours before Williams was scheduled to attend a debate for the first time in months as he tries to hold onto his position in a crowded mayoral race.

Williams' spokeswoman, Alexandra Coppadge, said the vote of no confidence is nothing more than a tactic the union's board is using in the mayoral campaign to gain leverage in contract negotiations.

"As a former Wilmington police officer and member of the FOP, Mayor Williams truly understands the demands and challenges facing our police officers," she said. "That is why since he took office, Mayor Williams has made every effort to modernize and advance the Wilmington Police Department."

The union criticized Williams for failing to act on his statement during his 2012 campaign that his first priority would be settling contracts with the city's unions.

The city's police officers have been working since July 2011 without a contract, even as other labor unions came to agreements with the city and other city employees received cost-of-living adjustments.

"In reality, the city has spent many tens-of-thousands of taxpayer dollars to pay outside counsel to litigate against the FOP's lone attorney in our efforts to settle a new agreement," the statement said. "The FOP's attempts to amicably resolve the dispute with the city, end the stalemate, and settle the contract have not met with any success."

The News Journal reported on Monday that the union plans to appeal to the Delaware Supreme Court the latest step backward in the contract negotiation process after a vice chancellor shot down a labor board decision that would have given 3 percent pay raises to Wilmington police officers.

The union also criticized Williams for failing to reduce the number of shootings since he was elected. There were 96 shooting incidents the year he was elected, but the number has climbed to 127 shootings in 2013, 114 in 2014 and 131 in 2015.

So far this year, there have been 83 shooting incidents, 16 of which were homicides.

The union pointed to decisions Williams had made to disband the community policing unit, not implement crime commission recommendations, and turn down $1.5 million from the state for street patrols.

"And while some may lay the responsibility for crime levels in the laps of the police department, we assure you that the rank & file, out on the road police officers have no say in how projects, plans and strategies are implemented," the statement said.

Williams' spokeswoman said his leadership has led to the first Homicide/Violence Crime Unit, the first Real Time Crime Center and the implementation of 88 percent of the recommendations from the crime commission.

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The union said his actions have led to low morale in the department.

"Officers are feeling discouraged and unsupported and many have lost their confidence in the very system in which they work," the statement said. "On a daily basis they come face to face with an administration that minimizes their importance, fails to express appreciation, and would rather fight to the bitter end than to provide them with the very same modest pay adjustment that has already been granted to every other city employee."

The vote of no confidence this week is not the first for the Williams' administration.

In 2014, the police union voiced opposition to then-interim Police Chief Bobby Cummings, citing concerns about his responses to proposed shift changes and residents throwing rocks at officers responding to a fatal shooting.

"These are the same union board members that issued a vote of 'no confidence' in the leadership of Chief Bobby Cummings, who was recently recognized by the White House for his efforts in implementing community policing throughout the entire police department," Coppadge said.

Contact Jessica Masulli Reyes at (302) 324-2777, jmreyes@delawareonline.com or Twitter @jessicamasulli.

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