Delaware River and Bay Authority
Encyclopedia
The Delaware River and Bay Authority or DRBA is a bi-state government agency of the U.S.
states of New Jersey
and Delaware
established by interstate compact
in 1961.
The authority operates the Delaware Memorial
twin suspension bridges, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry
between Cape May
, New Jersey
and Lewes
, Delaware
, the Three Forts Ferry Crossing
and the Salem County Business Center.
The authority operates several aviation facilities in both New Jersey and Delaware, including New Castle Airport
, Cape May Airport
, Millville Airport, Delaware Airpark
and the Civil Air Terminal at Dover AFB. The New Castle Airport is the largest air facility operated by the DRBA. The DRBA fields its own police department to conduct law enforcement operations at its facilities.
The Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department is a department of the DRBA with limited jurisdiction in both New Jersey
and Delaware
. The department is mainly responsible for security at the Delaware Memorial Bridge
, but also provides security at the New Castle Airport
(and the Corporate Complex located adjacent to the New Castle Airport), the Civil Air Terminal at Dover Air Force Base
, Delaware Airpark
in Dover
, the Three Forts Ferry Crossing
in Delaware City, the Cape May−Lewes Ferry, Millville Municipal Airport
and Cape May Airport
.
between the states of Delaware and New Jersey was signed in 1962, the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) was created. The compact authorized the DRBA to operate the Delaware Memorial Bridge and to form its own police force. DRBA bridge officers were given powers of investigation, detention
and arrest
on the crossings, transportation or terminal facilities and other projects and the approaches thereto, owned, operated, or controlled by the DRBA. As a result of the compact the Delaware Memorial Bridge Police Department was renamed the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police.
In 1964 a ferry service between Cape May, New Jersey
, and Lewes, Delaware
, was begun by the DRBA. In April 1984 a police station was opened in Cape May establishing a security presence. Another police station was opened in Lewes in January 1986.
The Authority took over airport management and operations at New Castle Airport following a 30-year lease agreement with New Castle County Council in May 1995 and the FAA's approval in June 1995. In November 1996, the department received the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
' national accreditation award. In November 2005, the Department was re-accredited by CALEA.
The Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
states of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
established by interstate compact
Interstate compact
An interstate compact is an agreement between two or more states of the United States of America. Article I, Section 10 of the United States Constitution provides that "no state shall enter into an agreement or compact with another state" without the consent of Congress...
in 1961.
The authority operates the Delaware Memorial
Delaware Memorial Bridge
The Delaware Memorial Bridge is a set of twin suspension bridges crossing the Delaware River. The toll bridges carry Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 40 between Delaware and New Jersey...
twin suspension bridges, the Cape May-Lewes Ferry
Cape May-Lewes Ferry
The Cape May – Lewes Ferry is a ferry system that traverses a 17-mile crossing of the Delaware Bay to connect Cape May, New Jersey with Lewes, Delaware. The ferry doubles as a section of U.S. Route 9.-The system:...
between Cape May
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Lewes
Lewes, Delaware
Lewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, USA, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to the 2010 census, the population is 2,747, a decrease of 6.3% from 2000....
, Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
, the Three Forts Ferry Crossing
Three Forts Ferry Crossing
Three Forts Ferry Crossing is a ferry system on the Delaware River which serves Forts DuPont and Delaware in Delaware and Fort Mott in New Jersey. The Delafort ferry, which serves the three points, is operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority....
and the Salem County Business Center.
The authority operates several aviation facilities in both New Jersey and Delaware, including New Castle Airport
New Castle Airport
New Castle Airport , also known as the New Castle County Airport, is a public airport located in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, United States and four miles south of the central business district of the city of Wilmington....
, Cape May Airport
Cape May Airport
Cape May Airport , also known as Cape May County Airport, is a public airport located in Lower Township, New Jersey, United States, about four miles northwest of the central business district of Wildwood, a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States...
, Millville Airport, Delaware Airpark
Delaware Airpark
Delaware Airpark is a public airport serves the Dover area and is located one mile west of the central business district of Cheswold, a town in Kent County, Delaware, United States. It is owned by the Delaware River and Bay Authority....
and the Civil Air Terminal at Dover AFB. The New Castle Airport is the largest air facility operated by the DRBA. The DRBA fields its own police department to conduct law enforcement operations at its facilities.
Police department
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and Delaware
Delaware
Delaware is a U.S. state located on the Atlantic Coast in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It is bordered to the south and west by Maryland, and to the north by Pennsylvania...
. The department is mainly responsible for security at the Delaware Memorial Bridge
Delaware Memorial Bridge
The Delaware Memorial Bridge is a set of twin suspension bridges crossing the Delaware River. The toll bridges carry Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 40 between Delaware and New Jersey...
, but also provides security at the New Castle Airport
New Castle Airport
New Castle Airport , also known as the New Castle County Airport, is a public airport located in unincorporated New Castle County, Delaware, United States and four miles south of the central business district of the city of Wilmington....
(and the Corporate Complex located adjacent to the New Castle Airport), the Civil Air Terminal at Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base
Dover Air Force Base or Dover AFB is a United States Air Force base located two miles southeast of the city of Dover, Delaware.-Units:...
, Delaware Airpark
Delaware Airpark
Delaware Airpark is a public airport serves the Dover area and is located one mile west of the central business district of Cheswold, a town in Kent County, Delaware, United States. It is owned by the Delaware River and Bay Authority....
in Dover
Dover, Delaware
The city of Dover is the capital and second largest city in the U.S. state of Delaware. It is also the county seat of Kent County, and the principal city of the Dover, Delaware Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Kent County. It is located on the St. Jones River in the Delaware...
, the Three Forts Ferry Crossing
Three Forts Ferry Crossing
Three Forts Ferry Crossing is a ferry system on the Delaware River which serves Forts DuPont and Delaware in Delaware and Fort Mott in New Jersey. The Delafort ferry, which serves the three points, is operated by the Delaware River and Bay Authority....
in Delaware City, the Cape May−Lewes Ferry, Millville Municipal Airport
Millville Municipal Airport
Millville Municipal Airport is a public-use airport located three nautical miles southwest of the central business district of Millville, a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States...
and Cape May Airport
Cape May Airport
Cape May Airport , also known as Cape May County Airport, is a public airport located in Lower Township, New Jersey, United States, about four miles northwest of the central business district of Wildwood, a city in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States...
.
History
The Department was formed in 1951 as the Delaware Memorial Bridge Police Department. After a compactInterstate compact
An interstate compact is an agreement between two or more states of the United States of America. Article I, Section 10 of the United States Constitution provides that "no state shall enter into an agreement or compact with another state" without the consent of Congress...
between the states of Delaware and New Jersey was signed in 1962, the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) was created. The compact authorized the DRBA to operate the Delaware Memorial Bridge and to form its own police force. DRBA bridge officers were given powers of investigation, detention
Detention (imprisonment)
Detention is the process when a state, government or citizen lawfully holds a person by removing their freedom of liberty at that time. This can be due to criminal charges being raised against the individual as part of a prosecution or to protect a person or property...
and arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
on the crossings, transportation or terminal facilities and other projects and the approaches thereto, owned, operated, or controlled by the DRBA. As a result of the compact the Delaware Memorial Bridge Police Department was renamed the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police.
In 1964 a ferry service between Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States...
, and Lewes, Delaware
Lewes, Delaware
Lewes is an incorporated city in Sussex County, Delaware, USA, on the Delmarva Peninsula. According to the 2010 census, the population is 2,747, a decrease of 6.3% from 2000....
, was begun by the DRBA. In April 1984 a police station was opened in Cape May establishing a security presence. Another police station was opened in Lewes in January 1986.
The Authority took over airport management and operations at New Castle Airport following a 30-year lease agreement with New Castle County Council in May 1995 and the FAA's approval in June 1995. In November 1996, the department received the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies
The Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., is a credentialing authority , based in the United States, whose primary mission is to accredited public safety agencies, namely law enforcement agencies, training academies, communications centers, and campus public safety...
' national accreditation award. In November 2005, the Department was re-accredited by CALEA.
The Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.
Fallen officers
Since the establishment of the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department, 2 officers have died in the line of duty:- Patrolman Harry Passmore Cloud - died Saturday, July 2, 1955, when struck by a vehicle
- Patrol Officer Vincent A. Julia - died Friday, February 9, 1996, in an automobile accident
External links
- Delaware River and Bay Authority (official website)