Dewey holds Community Appreciation and Public Safety Day
The Dewey Beach Police Department and Dewey Beach Lions Club hosted a joint Community Appreciation and Public Safety Day Sept. 20 at the Lions Club.
The day was an opportunity for locals to get to know the folks who’ve dedicated their lives to keeping their communities safe.
“Our Community Appreciation Day is not only to demonstrate that we have a well-trained, well-equipped agency, but also that we have strong partnerships with our allied public safety agencies, as well as our businesses and community organizations,” said Chief Constance Speake. “These relationships are key to effective community policing.”
The event was free, including food and drinks.
Officers from many local police departments – Dewey, Rehoboth Beach, Ocean View, Fenwick Island, Lewes, Bethany Beach, South Bethany, Milton, Dagsboro and Delaware State Police – attended, along with firefighters from the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company. They answered questions and provided information and resources for attendees.
Kids got to try on police equipment from the Delaware State Police, including from the DSP’s Scuba Unit and Explosive Ordnance Disposal Team, and see one of the DSP’s bomb disposal robots on display.
Attendees of all ages enjoyed watching the police K-9 demonstration and the Rehoboth Beach Volunteer Fire Company’s car-cutting demonstration. Some participated in the Division of Alcohol & Tobacco Enforcement’s DUI/distracted driving simulator.
There were also eye screenings courtesy of the Milton and Dewey Beach Lions Clubs.
For the younger crowd, there were balloon animals, face painting, a bounce house, games, crafts, live farm animals and the Cape Henlopen School District Bookmobile.
Dewey Beach Police Department held its first Public Safety Day last year. The Lions Club has been holding Dewey Community Day for several years.
This was the first year that the two groups combined the events.
Ellen McIntyre is a reporter covering education and all things Dewey Beach. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Penn State - Schreyer Honors College in May 2024, then completed an internship writing for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In 2023, she covered the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand as a freelancer for the Associated Press and saw her work published by outlets including The Washington Post and Fox Sports. Her variety of reporting experience covers crime and courts, investigations, politics and the arts. As a Hockessin, Delaware native, Ellen is happy to be back in her home state, though she enjoys traveling and learning about new cultures. She also loves live music, reading, hiking and spending time in nature.
