Shyanne Miller is a Delaware native who’s constantly giving her time to help the community around her. She’s currently part of The Campaign for Fair Policing working to change some policing laws here in Delaware. Specifically, they’re trying to change the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights. Shyanne took some time to share a little bit about herself as well as this initiative.
What do you currently do here in DE?
I am a community organizer and I work with the Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League and Network Delaware.
Can you tell us a little more about Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League & Network Delaware? What do these organizations do?
The Metropolitan Wilmington Urban League (MWUL) is the Delaware chapter of the National Urban League. It was started in 1999 and is the only Urban League in the country that has a focus on policy research and advocacy alongside some of the services it provides, such as the Achievement Matters program. My job at the MWUL is working as the Campaign Manager for Building People Power, which fights racial justice through community organizing and policy advocacy. The MWUL has partnered with Network Delaware for several years now. Network Delaware is a grassroots and member-led organization of community members, activists, and organizers. Their three main focuses are leadership development, civic engagement, and policy change.
I frequently see your posts about different issues in the community. What fuels you to speak up so much and also ask tough questions?
I am very passionate about anti-racism. As a Black woman, I am directly affected by racism, so you could argue this is a selfish aim, haha. But seriously, the wellbeing of the whole state of DE is tied up in whether we can overcome racism in healthcare, education, criminal justice, economics, and housing. I believe that liberation for Black, Latino, Indigenous, and Asian communities is possible, so I fight on it daily.
You don’t just talk the talk, you walk the walk as well. How did you become involved with DE Campaigning for Fair Policing? Are you on the Law Enforcement Accountability Task Force as well?
I am not on the task force. I have always been involved with the criminal justice reform world. Policing just seemed untouchable until the riots and protests in Wilmington in summer 2020. The Campaign for Fair Policing Frankly, watching those young people put their lives on the line and show their anger at the lack of movement on police reform just inspired me to keep involved. happened because we knew there needed to be a grassroots effort to pressure legislators to do the right thing and stop delaying justice. It has to be volunteer-led and give a voice and platform back to the people. I am hoping it does that.
The task force is currently campaigning to have the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights (LEOBOR) changed. What changes do you feel need to be made?
The task force has made the recommendation to the DE General Assembly (those are the state’s lawmakers) that they want to see the changes to LEOBOR to allow for public access to police discipline records and to allow for the establishment of independent civilian review boards. They did not however want to act on qualified immunity. We also want LEOBOR changed so that independent, community-based review boards can investigate misconduct and discipline officers.
Recent updates on the bill:
- A bill has been introduced to amend the Law Enforcement Officers Bill of Rights. This bill is SB149 and it would make police discipline records public and open the door for communities to create independent, civilian review boards that can investigate police wrongdoing.
- The bill was not sponsored by all members of the Delaware Legislative Black Caucus, despite the changing LEOBOR being on their Justice for All agenda, and despite it being co-primed by Senator Lockman (she is in Senate leadership) and Representative Johnson (she is the chair of the DE Legislative Black Caucus).
Why do you think so many people reject the idea of holding police accountable?
According to a Nix, the Six poll 65% of people in DE want to see LEOBOR changed. However, some people have this idea that the police can do no wrong. I think the idea of transparency and accountability with police is only politicized because people think it’s a black problem. The truth is when the police can’t be held accountable, all communities suffer.
What is your long-term goal for the initiative?
In the long term, we want a better relationship between the police and the communities they serve. We want people to have safe neighborhoods where they can rely on the police to protect them, not harass them. People want to rebuild trust.
How can people join or volunteer with DE Campaigning for Fair Policing?
Click this link to volunteer with us. We need anyone and everyone who is willing to put in the work. From writing stuff to talking to their legislators to door knocking.
You mentioned you’ve always been involved in the criminal justice reform world. What other roles have you held?
I’ve mostly been a volunteer for organizations like the Coalition to Dismantle the New Jim Crow and Network Delaware. I was previously Board President for the Coalition to Dismantle the New Jim Crow, and now I am a paid organizer with Network Delaware. In general, besides criminal justice reform, I’ve studied food justice/food apartheids, and I have a strong and active interest in housing justice. I believe housing is a human right.
When you’re not advocating for your community what do you like to do for fun and self-care?
I love to spend time with my husband and daughter and my family. I like to go on walks, read books, and binge on TV. I am a huge fan of comic-book movies and shows. Self-care does not come to me naturally. I often have to schedule a time to step back from work and focus on rejuvenation. I enjoy spending time gardening though I suck at it. I got a set of brown thumbs, haha!
What are your social media websites that you’d like shared:
@fairpolicing Delaware Campaign for Fair Policing on FB
