History of New Castle County

 New Castle County was formed by a land grant for William Penn in 1676.  The grant established the three counties in Delaware (New Castle, Kent and Sussex).  New Castle County was broken up into eleven districts known as “hundreds.”  Similarly the term “township” was used in the state of Pennsylvania.  A hundred described an area where 100 white men lived.  Boundaries:

·        12 miles north of the town of New Castle

·        South to Duck Creek

·        East to low water mark on the New Jersey shore

·        West to Mason-Dixon line

        (refers to Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, surveyors for the King…

            the area  at the MD and PA state lines)

 Constables enforced all laws within the county.  They derived their powers under the colonial form of government which was administered by the Levy Court.  The laws were formally known as the “Duke of York Laws.”  Duties:

 ·        Enforce the law

·        Organize posses for hot pursuit of violators of the law

·        Arrest without warrant for violations they observed

·        Take violators into custody and keep them under lock and key until arraignment before a Judge of Peace who would travel throughout the area (could be days/weeks/months)

·        Search of persons and homes

·        6’ wooden staff with a “Badge of the King” on it: symbol of Constable’s power and authority, could not act without it the county paid for the staff due to its importance

 Early 1900s brought about the advent of the automobile.  There were numerous complaints from citizens regarding the unsafe operation of the vehicles.  Citizens groups also request police presence in rural areas and increased growth is seen throughout the county. 

 March 14, 1911 

County Rural Police is authorized by State Legislation.

January 2, 1912

 February 17, 1913  

 Later in the same year another county police agency is formed.  The agencies are separate in their duties but eventually come to represent the beginnings of the New Castle County Police. 

 December 16, 1913  

Shirts, trousers, leather jackets, leggings, shoes, hat, tie, .38 caliber (6” barrel Colt Revolver, and handcuffs.

 July 1, 1935 (The first attempt to abolish County Police) 

 The Highway Police were considered the primary police force in the county until they were abolished.  The Rural Police were still in existence, and they were considered a token force.  Now with the demise of the Highway Police they took on a new role and became the rebirth of our department. 

 1937 – 1955        

 January 1967 

April 1967 

 May 1967 

 June 1967 

Newark, Delaware -  Riot on Main Street (Off. Rogers was hit by chemical bomb)

 September 1968 

Drug seizure - Detectives Riggs, Bailor and McNair

 

 November 1969 

 April 1969 

 June 1970 (The second attempt to abolish County Police)   

 September 1970 

 October 1970 

 February 1971 

 January 1972 

 November 30, 1972 

                            Paul J. Sweeney

 Summer of 1974 

 April 1975 (the third attempt to abolish County Police) 

 June 1975 

 It should be noted that even today “Home Rule” does not exist for the New Castle County Police.  Wilmington, the State Police and the various other agencies in the state are secure in their right to “be.”  On any given date, the elected officials in Dover could vote once again to abolish the County Police.   

 January 1977 

                          Cpl. Mike Riley holds training class for hard to hear children.

 

 February 1977 

 March 8, 1977 

 August 1977 

 October 1978 

 January 1979 

 April 1979 

 July 3, 1980 

 December 1980 

 August 1981 

 October 12, 1981 

 January 18, 1983 

 January 1985 

 January 1986 

 April 1988 

 January 1989 

 March 1989 

 1991 

 1993 

 1996 

 1997 

 February 2001 

 July 2003 - Present 

 

The Old Days

(point to the picture and left click your mouse to enlarge the pictures)

"Goon Squad"    New Radar Unit        1965         1968     

 

252 Picketing        1968    Det's. George Freebery & Terry Koston   1968       

 

 

Retirees qualifying for the new Federal HR218 Law

You Might Be a Cop If...

You have the bladder capacity of five people.

You have ever restrained someone and it was not a sexual experience.

You believe that 50% of people are a waste of good air.

Your idea of a good time is an armed robbery and a car chase.

You conduct a criminal record check on anyone who seems friendly towards you.

Discussing dismemberment over a meal seems perfectly normal to you.

You find humor in other people's stupidity.

You believe in the aerial spraying of Prozac and birth control pills.

You disbelieve 90% of what you hear and 75% of what you see.

You have your weekends off planned for a year.

You believe the government should require a permit to reproduce.

You believe that unspeakable evils will befall you if anyone says,

"Boy, it sure is quiet tonight."

A little "stick time" has nothing to do with baseball.

You refer to your favorite restaurant by the intersection at which it’s located.

You have ever wanted to hold a seminar entitled: "Suicide...getting it right the first time."

You have ever had to put the phone on hold before you begin laughing uncontrollably.

Your favorite hallucinogen is exhaustion.

You think caffeine should be available in IV form.

The person you're speaking with states, "That's not mine. I have no idea

how that got there."

You believe anyone who says, "I only had two beers" is going to blow more than a .15.

You find out a lot about paranoia just by following people around.

People flag you down on the street and ask you directions to strange places.

You can discuss where you are going to eat with your partner

while standing over a dead body.

You are the only person introduced at social gatherings by profession.

You walk into places and people think it's high comedy to seize their

buddy and shout, "They've come to get you Bill."

You do not see daylight from November until May.

People shout, "I didn't do it!" when you walk into a room and think

they're being hugely funny and original.

You've ever started a sentence with the phrase "We had this

awesome dead body earlier. You should have seen it."


A week's worth of laundry consists of 5 T-shirts, 5 pairs of socks,

and 5 pairs of underwear.

You've ever referred to Thursday as "My Monday".

You've ever written off guns and ammunition as a business deduction.

Anyone has ever said, "There are people killing other people out

there and you are here messing with me."

Anyone has ever said, "But officer, I am just barely passing through."

You believe that Mother is only half a word.

Anyone has ever said, "Robbery, Robbery, what's you mean Robbery."

When you are amazed at something that was told to you your

first response is "Say what."

You have nightmares about something called Training days.

Your idea of going skiing is drawing dots and lines on a form for court.

And last but not least,  you have calculated numerous times how

much time and money you are taking from the city by crapping on

their time instead of before coming to work. !