ACLU-DE Wins Release of Dewey Beach Body-Worn Camera Footage

Dewey Beach, DE — The ACLU of Delaware settled its lawsuit against Dewey Beach in the Superior Court of New Castle County, which alleged that the town unlawfully denied access to body worn camera footage from law enforcement officers. After the ACLU-DE filed its lawsuit in March 2026, Dewey Beach voluntarily provided the body-worn camera footage that was requested.

“Body-worn cameras only provide transparency and accountability to the extent that the public can actually access the footage,” said ACLU-DE Civic Engagement Counsel Andrew Bernstein. “This victory demonstrates that law enforcement agencies across the state can and should provide footage to Delawareans who seek it.”

The ACLU-DE requested the body-worn camera footage after it received a report that a group of young people had faced potential discrimination due to their race during the summer of 2025. None of the young people were charged with a crime, and there appeared to be no active investigation into their conduct.

“It should not be a momentous occasion when the public is able to access basic records, yet we know that public records requests for body-worn camera footage are routinely denied across the state,” added Bernstein. “We are thankful that Dewey Beach has bucked this trend, and we hope this win will encourage other law enforcement agencies across the state to make body-worn camera footage readily available to the public to foster trust and build cooperation.”