Rehoboth Beach native retires from police career in New Castle County

The New Castle County Division of Police announced the retirement of Sr. Sgt. Tracey Duffey Dec. 31, after 21 years of service in law enforcement.

Tracey Duffey began her law enforcement career in August 2004 as a member of the NCCPD's 30th Recruit Academy Class. Following graduation, she was assigned to D-Squad in the Patrol Division. Duffey was a member of several units and held multiple positions throughout her NCCPD tenure, including in the Community Services Unit and as public information officer.    

Duffey is a Rehoboth Beach native and a 1997 graduate of Cape Henlopen High School. Promptly after graduation, she enlisted in the Delaware Army National Guard, where she served until 2005. After completing military training, Duffy enrolled at Delaware State University, where she received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 2004. She earned a master's degree in social work in 2015 from Widener University. 

Public service and volunteerism are key components of Duffey's purpose in life, and she has remained committed to her Sussex County roots through many service projects. In summer 2019, Duffey led a series of community-based conversations aimed at improving the relationship between underserved communities and law enforcement through a collaboration with the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, and in 2022, she organized the Stop the Violence Community Day of Healing at the Richard Allen School in Georgetown.

Duffey will now join the Johns Hopkins University Police Department as a lieutenant, where she hopes to be impactful in a new setting. She also plans to expand the scope of the HerShield Foundation, which she founded in 2024 to empower young girls to lead, serve and inspire in fields where females are underrepresented. Duffey is currently working to bring the foundation's signature event, the Police and Princess Ball, to Kent and Sussex counties. 

Duffey now plans to spend more time with her family and friends in the Rehoboth area. She hopes her example can be the catalyst that inspires a young girl to dream big and conquer the challenge of pursuing a career in a male-dominated space.