Delaware State Police
| Delaware State Police | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | DSP |
Patch of the Delaware State Police
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Badge of the Delaware State Police
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| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1923 |
| Preceding agency | Highway Traffic Police |
| Employees | 847 (as of 2008) |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction* | State of Delaware, USA |
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| Map of Delaware State Police's jurisdiction. | |
| Size | 1,982 square miles (5,130 km2) |
| Population | 907,135 (2011 est.) |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Dover, Delaware |
| Troopers | 658 (as of 2008) |
| Civilians | 205 (as of 2004) |
| Agency executive | Nathaniel McQueen Jr., Colonel |
| Facilities | |
| Troops | 8 |
| Website | |
| http://dsp.delaware.gov/ | |
| Footnotes | |
| * Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction. | |
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 police departments. The DSP is headquartered in the capital Dover, Delaware.
"To enhance the quality of life for all Delaware citizens and visitors by providing professional, competent and compassionate law enforcement services".
Before the Delaware State Police was formed in 1923, the first traffic law enforcement officers were called the "Highway Traffic Police". Started in 1919, the HTP consisted of one officer whose sole function was to patrol the Philadelphia Pike near Wilmington. In the following year the force was increased to three men and three motorcycles. From 1920 to 1923 these men served directly under the State Highway Commission. Prior to the formation of state police the areas between unincorporated districts were served by the county sheriff department.
Thoughts on the topic of forming a State Police organization for the First State had been recorded as early as 1906. Although interest existed, little, if any, positive steps were taken until the State Highway Commission was formed in 1917. As construction of paved highways was begun and registered motor vehicles began to rise, a need to regulate and maintain safety soon became apparent. On April 23, 1923, the General Assembly, at the request of the State Highway Department, enacted two laws that created the Delaware State Police. This date marks the official organization of the present law enforcement organization.
The Delaware State Police employed 75 full-time officers for every 100,000 residents in 2007, the largest number of any state police force.
Currently, the DSP operates out of eight barracks known as "troops", not including the headquarters. Each county has one troop that is shared between patrol (Uniformed) and detective (CIU) units. Delaware State Police investigate over 33,000 criminal complaints yearly.
The DSP also operates several special units/locations around the state, including aviation units in Georgetown and Middletown, and weigh stations on U.S. Rt. 13 and U.S. Rt. 301.
In Kent and Sussex Counties, the Delaware State Police serve as the primary law-enforcement agency that are not incorporated into municipalities who have their own law enforcement agency.
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Wikipedia