Retired FBI, Secret Service agents aim to establish Lewes Police Foundation
A retired FBI special agent and a former U.S. Secret Service agent are seeking to establish the Lewes Police Foundation to offer support to the local department.
Daniel DeSimone and Jonathan Cherry, who have a combined 53 years in law enforcement, approached Lewes Mayor and City Council March 18 with a proposal to set up the organization, which could solicit donations and fundraise to supplement the police department’s budget, paying for things such as training, equipment, technology and community relations.
“We pledge to work in unison with the police department and elected leaders,” said DeSimone, who has supported and assisted the New York City Police Department and Washington, D.C. Police Department since retiring.
He said the goal is to provide support to the police department while not encumbering the city with long-term financial commitments. Councilwoman Bonnie Osler cautioned DeSimone and Cherry about well-intentioned donations, such as the K-9, that were nominal early but have cost the city’s taxpayers a lot of money in the long run.
“We see this as a two-way bit of communication and look to be completely transparent and work with [the city],” DeSimone said.
In most cases, he said, the foundation would look to Police Chief Tom Spell to develop a list of items that could be funded.
Spell said he’s excited about the possibility.
“It’s a little unusual for smaller departments, but I think it provides a great avenue for us to accomplish some things like training,” he said. “We have to see how it grows and what we can do.”
Council gave the green light for DeSimone and Cherry to continue their work to establish the foundation. Based on the March 18 discussion, they will make revisions to their proposal and present it to the city in the near future.
Nick Roth is the news editor. He has been with the Cape Gazette since 2012, previously covering town beats in Milton and Lewes. In addition to serving on the editorial board and handling page layout, Nick is responsible for the weekly Delaware History in Photographs feature and enjoys writing stories about the Cape Region’s history. Prior to the Cape Gazette, Nick worked for the Delmarva Media Group, including the Delaware Wave, Delaware Coast Press and Salisbury Daily Times. He also contributed to The News Journal. Originally from Boyertown, Pa., Nick attended Shippensburg University in central Pennsylvania, graduating in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism. He’s won several MDDC awards during his career for both writing and photography. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, going to the beach with his family and cheering for Philadelphia sports teams.
