Delaware trooper shooting sparks debate in third district

Wilmington’s third district is getting a lot of attention following Wednesday’s shooting which injured 44-year-old Master Corporal Richard Deskis, a 17-year veteran of the Delaware State Police.

The shooting happened near the intersection of 24th Street and Market Street just before 4 p.m. as the trooper who works with the retail theft unit was investigating a car filled with what appeared to be stolen merchandise.  Deskis was shot in the arm and treated and released from Christiana Hospital last night.

Wilmington City Councilman Darius Brown represents the third district which includes the neighborhood where the incident took place and said residents expressed disappointment that something like this is the only way to get law enforcement to the area.

He said the fact that one of his citizens would open fire on an officer says a lot about the disconnect between residents and law enforcement.

“It told me that we have a great gulf,” said Brown. “We need to make sure that we reduce the size of that gulf and that division that we have between the community and our police department,” said Brown.

Brown said residents participate in neighborhood walks and the civic association but remain fearful of the riffraff that plague the area.

“They want to see a better relationship between the Wilmington Police Department or police in general and the community,” said Brown. “Many members of the community, because of yesterday’s incident are more in fear, because they don’t know what will occur in the neighborhood.”

Brown said he’ll continue to fight for safer neighborhoods in the third district.

“The issue and concern that we have, and what we’d like to see more of, is the community policing that enforces loitering, that enforces nuisance, that enforces the quality of life, because those are things that we experience every day,” said Brown. “If an individual is out here on the corner for multiple hours of the day, they do not live in this neighborhood, police officers should get out of their vehicles and engage that individual and get them off the street.”

Meanwhile, police are continuing to investigate the incident and are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Millard Greer at (302) 741-2728. Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-800-TIP-3333, online, or by sending an anonymous tip by text to 274637 (CRIMES) using the keyword “DSP.”