ACLU of Delaware v. Town of Dewey Beach

On March 12, 2026, the ACLU of Delaware filed a complaint against the Town of Dewey Beach for the unlawful denial of a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request seeking access to body worn camera footage from six law enforcement officers. ACLU-DE requested the body worn camera footage after receiving a report that a group of young people had faced potential discrimination last year due to their race.

The State of Delaware mandates that police use body worn cameras in order to provide greater transparency and accountability to Delawareans when police officers are working in their public capacity in public spaces. When footage from those cameras is intentionally kept from public view, it undermines trust in law enforcement. Denying a FOIA request like this is yet another example of a public institution misusing FOIA exemptions to avoid being transparent and accountable for how it operates.

We will continue to fight to make sure Delawareans can access the public information they are rightfully entitled to have. Freedom of information is integral to our democracy, and all Delaware institutions must uphold it to protect and empower everyone who lives here.