David W. Bostrom

David W. Bostrom, age 59, passed away Friday, September 12, 2008 at the Christiana Hospital in Wilmington, Delaware.

He served as Public Safety Director for the City of Wilmington during the second administration of Mayor James Sills. Prior to this position, he served as a Senior Associate at the Police Foundation in Washington D.C. from 1995-1997 and as a member of the Metropolitan Police Department from 1972-1995. He retired from the MPD with the rank of Inspector/Commander. After his service as Public Safety Director in Wilminton, he became a Managing Partner in the Police Assessment Associates from 2001-2002 and the Community Policing Consortium Manager of the International Association of Chiefs of Police in Alexandra, Virginia from 2002-2006. His final uniform position was as Interim Police Chief in Tulsa, Oklahoma, May-August of 2007. He continued to serve as a consultant to a variety of police agencies.

David has lived in Wilmington, Delaware for the past 10 years. He was born in Iowa City, Iowa, to Albert and Carol Bostrom, but spent most of his youth in Yakima, Washington. He received a Master of Science, Management and Leadership from John Hopkins University in 2004 and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from Yale University in 1971. He attended the “Fire Operations in Emergency Management,” National Fire Academy in 1999, the Senior Management Institute for Police, Police Executive Research Forum in 1993 and the Contemporary Executive Development Program, George Washington University in 1988. He served on the Board of Directors for Street Law, Inc. in Washington D.C. from 2003 until his death. He also served on the Board of the Brandywine Gateway Neighbors in Wilmington from 2001-2002 and the Metropolitan Police Boys and Girls Club in Washington D.C. from 1982-1995. He has been a member of the National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice since 1990.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia Quann Bostrom; his daughter, Beverly Farmer and five grandchildren; his mother, Carol Bostrom; four brothers and a sister, Eric, Blake, Stanley, Greg and Laura Bostrom and their families; his sister-in-law, Karen Scofield and by the numerous friends who loved him.

A memorial service will be scheduled in Wilmington later in September. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to Street Law, Inc. at www.streetlaw.org.