Supporting Delaware's First Responders

A public safety platform for stronger recruitment, retention, training, wellness, and support for those who protect Delaware.

Delaware's first responders are the people we count on when every second matters. Police officers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, 911 dispatchers, correctional officers, emergency management personnel, and volunteer responders serve on the front lines of public safety every day. They run toward danger, respond to crisis, protect our neighborhoods, and provide lifesaving care when Delaware families need help most.

The Independent Party of Delaware believes supporting first responders should not be a partisan issue. Public safety is a basic responsibility of government, and the men and women who provide it deserve the staffing, training, equipment, compensation, and support necessary to do their jobs safely and effectively.

Delaware must build a stronger, more sustainable public safety system that respects taxpayers, supports local communities, and protects those who protect us.

Our Priorities

1. Recruit and Retain the Next Generation of First Responders

Delaware faces real challenges recruiting and retaining police officers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, dispatchers, and volunteer responders. Communities cannot stay safe if departments are understaffed, overworked, or unable to attract qualified people to public service. Delaware should strengthen recruitment pipelines through local schools, technical programs, community colleges, veteran transition programs, and public safety academies. We should also support practical incentives that help departments compete for talent, retain experienced personnel, and encourage young Delawareans to see first response as a respected career or volunteer calling. This includes expanding youth pathways into fire, EMS, law enforcement, and emergency services, while ensuring training standards remain strong and public trust remains central.

2. Support Delaware's Volunteer Fire and EMS System

Delaware's volunteer fire companies are a critical part of the state's emergency response system. These volunteers save lives, protect property, and provide essential coverage in communities across all three counties. But the volunteer model is under pressure from rising call volumes, increased training requirements, financial burdens, and fewer available volunteers. Delaware should strengthen support for volunteer fire and EMS organizations through recruitment assistance, retention programs, training support, equipment grants, and targeted relief for the rising costs of emergency response.
Volunteer responders should not be left to carry an increasingly professional workload without adequate support from the state and local governments.

3. Improve Pay, Benefits, and Working Conditions

First responders carry heavy responsibilities, work long and unpredictable hours, and face serious physical and emotional risks. Delaware should work to ensure competitive pay and benefits for public safety professionals, especially in high-need areas where staffing shortages threaten response times and community safety. This does not mean blank checks or wasteful spending. It means responsible budgeting that prioritizes essential services and recognizes that public safety depends on attracting and keeping qualified, experienced people. Better retention also saves money by reducing turnover, overtime, burnout, and repeated recruitment and training costs.

4. Expand Mental Health and Wellness Support

First responders are regularly exposed to trauma, violence, injury, loss, and high-pressure crisis situations. Delaware must treat mental health and wellness as a core part of public safety readiness. We support confidential mental health services, peer-support programs, trauma counseling, suicide prevention resources, family support, and wellness programs for police, fire, EMS, dispatchers, and other emergency personnel. Asking for help should never be seen as weakness. A responder who is mentally and physically well is better prepared to serve the public, protect their team, and return home safely.

5. Invest in Training, Equipment, and Technology

Delaware's first responders need modern tools to meet modern challenges. That includes reliable radios and communication systems, protective gear, emergency vehicles, medical equipment, body cameras where appropriate, training facilities, and updated technology that improves response times and accountability. The state should prioritize practical investments that make responders safer and improve outcomes for the public. Funding should be transparent, measurable, and focused on front-line needs rather than bureaucracy.

6. Strengthen 911 Dispatch and Emergency Communications

911 dispatchers are first responders too. They are the first voice people hear in moments of panic, and they play a critical role in coordinating police, fire, and medical response. Delaware should ensure emergency communications centers are properly staffed, well-trained, technologically reliable, and supported with the same seriousness given to other public safety functions. Dispatchers deserve recognition, mental health resources, competitive pay, and career development opportunities.

7. Protect Public Trust and Accountability

Supporting first responders and demanding accountability are not opposites. They go together. Delaware should support law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMTs, and emergency personnel while also maintaining high professional standards, strong training, transparency, and fair accountability systems. Good responders should never be undermined by poor leadership, political games, or lack of public trust. The goal should be a public safety culture that protects citizens, respects constitutional rights, supports good personnel, and removes barriers that prevent departments from doing their jobs well.

8. Reduce Political Interference in Public Safety

Public safety decisions should be based on community needs, operational reality, and the safety of Delaware families - not partisan ideology, political slogans, or special-interest pressure. Delaware should listen directly to the people doing the work: police officers, firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, dispatchers, emergency managers, correctional officers, local chiefs, county officials, and community members. Policy should be built from the ground up, not imposed from political extremes.

Our Commitment

The Independent Party of Delaware supports a public safety system that is effective, accountable, well-trained, and properly supported.

We believe Delaware should:
- Recruit and retain qualified first responders.
- Strengthen volunteer fire and EMS services.
- Improve pay, benefits, and working conditions.
- Expand mental health and wellness support.
- Invest in modern equipment, training, and technology.
- Recognize 911 dispatchers as essential first responders.
- Maintain accountability and public trust.

Keep public safety focused on people, not politics.

Delaware's first responders answer the call for us. It is time for Delaware to answer the call for them.