The Delaware Capitol Police was founded as a three-man unit in 1965 to deter

vandalism Vandalism is the action involving deliberate destruction of or damage to public or private property. The term includes property damage, such as graffiti and #Defacement, defacement directed towards any property without permission of the owne ...

at the Legislative Hall, in Dover,

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacen ...

. The unit was originally known as Capitol Security. Responsibilities were eventually expanded to cover other state-owned properties in Delaware while the unit remained unfunded (being maintained through donations and transfer of equipment from other

law enforcement agencies A law enforcement agency (LEA) is any government agency responsible for the enforcement of the laws. Jurisdiction LEAs which have their ability to apply their powers restricted in some way are said to operate within a jurisdiction. LEAs ...

). Officers initially received no formal training and were armed only with a nightstick,

handcuffs Handcuffs are restraint devices designed to secure an individual's wrists in proximity to each other. They comprise two parts, linked together by a chain, a hinge, or rigid bar. Each cuff has a rotating arm which engages with a ratchet that ...

and

tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ...

. In 1974, Delaware Director of Administrative Services Thomas Murray overhauled the organization, providing basic law-enforcement training. Having been sworn in as

constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...

s, the officers now had the power of arrest on state property. New equipment and uniforms were issued at this time and the organization became known as the Capitol Security Police. In 1980 the organization adopted its current name. Arrest powers were expanded statewide in 1982. Further changes in 1995 saw a redesign of the

patch Patch or Patches may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Patch Johnson, a fictional character from ''Days of Our Lives'' * Patch (''My Little Pony''), a toy * "Patches" (Dickey Lee song), 1962 * "Patches" (Chairmen of the Board song ...

worn by officers and integration of communications systems with the

Delaware State Police The Delaware State Police (DSP) is a division of the Delaware Department of Public Safety and Homeland Security and is responsible for traffic regulation and law enforcement across the state of Delaware, especially in areas underserved by local ...

in order to improve response times to emergencies. In 2020 the Delaware Capitol Police patch was updated with a new design which is now worn by all Police personnel.

Rank structure

Duties

The Delaware Capitol Police are a statewide law enforcement agency responsible for the security of all three branches of state government throughout the State of Delaware. Specifically, the Delaware Capitol Police provide services to Woodburn (Governor's Mansion), Legislative Hall, Capitol Complex (Legislative Mall), Supreme Court, Superior Court, Chancery Court, Court of Common Pleas and the Family Courts in all three counties, the Carvel State Building and over 80 state controlled facilities and/or properties in the greater Dover area. All Delaware Capitol Police officers are certified by the Delaware Council on Police Training and have statewide jurisdiction and arrest authority. Our officers take great pride in ensuring the safety and security of the Governor, state legislators, legislative staff, the Delaware Judiciary, state employees, citizens and visitors to the State of Delaware. We act in conjunction with other municipal, county, state and federal law enforcement agencies to ensure that the best possible service is provided.

Operations

The Delaware Capitol Police maintains police officers and security officers in all three of Delaware's counties servicing all three branches of state government. DCP headquarters is located within the Tatnall Building in Dover. The Delaware Capitol Police also maintains three explosive detection canine teams and 5 detectives. The Northern Operation services: * Leonard L. Williams Justice Center * Carvel State Building *

Renaissance Office Complex The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...

Delaware Medical Examiner Office Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacen ...

900 King street Building 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Arabic digit In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra a ...

The Central Operation services: *

Delaware Legislative Hall The Delaware Legislative Hall is the state capitol building of Delaware. Located in the state capital city of Dover on Legislative Avenue, it houses the chambers and offices of the Delaware General Assembly. It was designed in the Colonial Reviv ...

Tatnall Building Tatnall may refer to: People * David Tatnall (born 1955), Australian photographer * Edward Tatnall (1782–1856), American railroad executive and miller, son of Joseph Tatnall * Francis Gibbons Tatnall (1896–1981), American engineer and entrepren ...

Delaware Governor's Mansion The Delaware Governor's Mansion, also known as Woodburn or Governor's House, is the official residence of the governor of Delaware and the governor's family. It is located in Dover, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as ...

(Woodburn) * Dover Patrol Section (servicing over 80 separate state facilities) Formerly called the Kent County Patrol. * Kent County Courthouse * Kent County Family Court The Southern Operation services: * Sussex County Courthouse * Sussex County Family Court * Sussex County Court of Chancery The Special Operation Services: * Canine Unit * CRASE Unit * CVSA Unit *

Firearms Unit A firearms unit is an armed unit within each territorial police force in the United Kingdom. For the most part, the police forces of the United Kingdom are unarmed; however, all have firearms units to provide the police force with the capabili ...

* Honor Guard Unit *

Quartermaster Quartermaster is a military term, the meaning of which depends on the country and service. In land armies, a quartermaster is generally a relatively senior soldier who supervises stores or barracks and distributes supplies and provisions. In ...

* Recruitment Unit * Special Investigations Unit

Delaware Capitol Security

Delaware Capitol Police employs Security Officers who operate the magnetometers and x-ray machines at the entrances to the courthouses, Legislative Hall, and the Carvel State Building. They are responsible for the screening, and if necessary the searching, of employees, visitors, and packages entering the courthouse. Capitol Security Officers are trained in the use of magnetometers, x-ray machines, handcuffing, defensive aerosol sprays, and certified in performing CPR, using AED's (automatic external defibrillator), and providing First Aid. Senior Security Officers are Capitol Security Officers who attend one of the seasonal police officer training courses provided by a Delaware police agency under the guidelines established by the Delaware Council on Police Training. Once completed they become Senior Security Officers and after being sworn in are granted the legal authority to detain individuals while in the performance of their official duties. Senior Security Officers are recognized by the dark blue sleeve worn on the epaulets of their uniform shirts.

References

External links