County Executive Marcus Henry announces public safety initiatives, signs agreement with NOBLE

NEW CASTLE - New Castle County Executive Marcus Henry joined public safety leadership to announce progress on key public safety initiatives and formalize a new partnership with the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE).

The event, held in the New Castle County Public Safety Building's Fusion Center, marked the completion of several goals set by the Henry Administration and introduced new efforts aimed at strengthening community engagement, emergency response, and leadership development across the county's public safety agencies.

County Executive Henry highlighted five priorities that have already been launched as part of the administration's early public safety agenda:

• The completion of the county's first "Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan," including full-scale tabletop exercises to assess response capabilities for a number of emergency scenarios.
• The formation of a "Public Safety Working Group," bringing together leadership from law enforcement, emergency services and emergency communications to improve coordination across divisions.
• The upcoming launch of a series of quarterly public safety town halls, with the first scheduled for September 22, 2025.
• The signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Delaware Chapter of NOBLE, establishing a framework for joint programming, leadership development, and youth outreach.

The MOU with NOBLE outlines a range of collaborative initiatives, including mentorship for current and emerging law enforcement leaders, the development of a "Youth Public Safety Academy," and joint community events aimed at building trust and transparency between public safety officials and the communities they serve.

"This agreement reflects our shared commitment to investing in people, both those who serve in public safety and those growing up in our neighborhoods," County Executive Henry said. "It also aligns with our broader strategy to improve recruitment, training and community partnerships across New Castle County."

Looking ahead, County Executive Henry also emphasized two six-month goals: Improving recruitment and retention across public safety roles and modernizing emergency communication systems to better respond to public health and safety needs.

Today's announcement included remarks from New Castle County Director of Public Safety Elmer Setting, Deputy Director Bruce Pinkett, Police Colonel James Leonard, EMS Coordinator Chris Hodgden, along with Lt. Greg Earle, President of the Delaware Chapter of NOBLE.

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