Wilmington, NC – May 7, 2025 – A recent community survey of 122 local residents offers valuable insight into public perceptions of the Wilmington Police Department (WPD), highlighting strengths in leadership and responsiveness, while identifying opportunities to strengthen community trust and engagement.

Key Findings:

Trust in Police:

While a majority of respondents rated their trust in the police at a 3 or above, only 18.9% expressed full trust (rating 5), and 13.1% reported low levels of trust (ratings 1 or 2). Satisfaction with Police

Performance:

Approximately 68.9% of respondents rated their satisfaction with WPD’s performance in neighborhoods as a 4 or 5, indicating overall approval of police service delivery.

Responsiveness:

65.5% of participants found officers to be responsive (ratings 4 or 5) to community concerns and calls for service.

Community Interaction:

Positive, casual interactions with officers appear to be limited; only 15.6% of respondents reported frequent casual contact, while 13.1% said such interactions rarely occurred.

Engagement Across Demographics:

Only 41.8% of respondents felt that police were effectively engaging with all segments of the community—signaling a need for more inclusive outreach strategies.

Confidence in Use of Force Practices:

Public confidence remains divided on this issue, with 32% expressing neutrality and 29.6% expressing low confidence in WPD’s handling of excessive force incidents.

Leadership Approval:

Police Chief Donny Williams received strong marks for leadership, with 67.2% of respondents giving him the highest confidence rating.

Respondent Demographics:

• Age: A majority (35.2%) of participants were aged 61–74.
• Race/Ethnicity: 77.9% identified as Black or African American.
• Gender: 65.6% identified as female.

Looking Ahead:

The survey results reflect community appreciation for the department’s responsiveness and leadership, while also highlighting areas where deeper trust, transparency, and inclusive engagement are needed. “This data gives us a vital pulse on the relationship between the community and the police department,” said LeRon T. Montgomery, President of the NAACP New Hanover County Branch. “Our goal is to build on the department’s strengths while listening and responding to the areas where trust must be deepened.”

Clarifying Chief Williams’ Remarks:

In light of recent discussions, it is important to clarify that Chief Donny Williams has not stated that the entire department is racist, nor that individuals of any particular race are inherently biased. In response to past investigations and public scrutiny, Chief Williams has acknowledged the existence of isolated pockets of racism within the department but made clear that these do not define the organization as a whole.

“Do we have pockets of racism? Yes, absolutely. Any large organization is going to have people with different views,” Chief Williams stated. “I said this back in 2020 and I’m going to say it again: Judge our officers by the color of their hearts, not the color of their skin.” (Source: WECT)

LeRon T. Montgomery
President, New Hanover County NAACP