Smyrna, Cheswold, & Clayton Police Accountability Committee

Chief Brian Donner

Chief Christopher Workman

Chief Harvey Scott

Smyrna Police Department Training Room

325 W Glenwood Ave, Smyrna, DE 19977

6:00 P.M.

2026 Meeting Schedule

January 27, 2026
May 26, 2026
August 25, 2026
December 29, 2026

These are the regularly scheduled meetings for 2026. Meetings can be called during the year as deemed necessary by the PAC Committee based on need.

Police Accountability Committees (PACs) will advise departments on policies, training, and other things affecting the department and the communities it serves. POST hopes that PACs will bring more openness, information sharing, education, and community engagement. All police departments in Delaware shall set up police accountability committees or boards (PACs). However, HB 206 does not empower PACs to decide on department discipline or establish department policies or procedures.

The Towns of Cheswold, Smyrna, and Clayton Police Chiefs have come together to provide a PAC that we believe, with collaboratively support and honor the intent of the legislation that was signed by our State of Delaware legislature in accordance with HB206, and have agreed to this collaboration and will begin with the first meeting to be held on September 23, 2025, at the Smyrna Police Department and follow those parameters as stated within HB209 and the bylaws of the committee.

Current PAC Members :

 PAC Composition and Minimum Meetings
HB 206 does not specify a minimum number of committee members. However, for an effective PAC, POST recommends having at least five members, and possibly 9-13 for larger departments. It’s best to have an odd number of members to avoid tie votes.

HB 206 mandates including a religious leader from the community and individuals directly impacted by the criminal justice system or their family members in the PAC. Additionally, POST suggests having a diverse membership that represents various aspects of the community, such as race, gender, age, education, experience, business owners, student leaders, those with a background in criminal justice, and at-risk populations.

POST plans to require PACs to meet quarterly or more frequently if necessary.

Member Training
“Non-police members” must complete 20 hours of community training within a year of joining the police department. This training can involve activities like ride-along, attending a citizen’s police academy, and taking useful courses. The goal is to give non-law enforcement individuals a better understanding of how the police work, which will help them provide better advice to police leaders. This training will also improve communication with the public.

Joint PACs
HB 206 allows police departments to create a PAC on their own or together with other departments, like a regional police accountability committee. POST suggests that smaller departments connect with nearby jurisdictions to think about creating shared PACs to give guidance to multiple departments.

Other Information and Correspondence:

Police Accountability Memo to Police Chiefs and League of Local Governments – Feb 14, 2024