Dewey officer Cliff Dempsey promoted to lieutenant

Dewey Beach police officer Cliff Dempsey was promoted to lieutenant in a ceremony at the March 10 commissioners meeting.

Dempsey was a seasonal officer for three years before joining the department full time in 2000, Chief Constance Speake said. 

A graduate of the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy, Dempsey is a bike officer, bike trainer and certified instructor, Speake said. He runs the seasonal officer academy, serves as the department public information officer and is a detective, Speake said.

“He basically has his hand in everything here and we couldn’t do it without him,” Speake said.

Speake said it was abundantly clear that Dempsey is well known and respected throughout Sussex County for his institutional knowledge, and that he will serve as a strong and confident commander who will help her undertake improvements planned for the department.

“You, Cliff, are the perfect person for this job,” she said.