History of the Newport Police Department
The Newport Police Department was formally established on April 17, 1873, the day the Town of Newport was first incorporated.
The town charter required the appointment of an alderman, assisted by a bailiff, who would also serve as a “town constable” and keep the peace in the town. David Himsworth served as one of the first – if not the first – Constable of Newport.
In those days, the constable was an “as needed” position, on call at all times. With their unwavering dedication, the constable arrested violators and brought them to court, obtained and executed warrants, and generally kept the peace on the town streets.
The earliest constables often held other jobs in town. James F. Porter is thought to be Newport’s second constable, serving from 1888 to 1908, and was also the town postmaster. Porter was also the first constable to be called the “Chief of the Newport Police Department.”
Every able-bodied man in the town, in a true testament to community spirit and active participation, was expected to assist the constable when necessary and did so often. The constable was empowered to deputize men in an emergency, and the Commissioners of Newport sometimes appointed “special officers” when large events called for it.
Newport retained a sole full-time “town police officer” through the mid-1950s until vehicular traffic in the town warranted adding a second officer. The department grew rapidly through the 1960s and 1970s.
Today, the Newport Police Department is a modern, state-accredited agency employing highly trained officers and cutting-edge technology, a testament to its continuous growth and development, to provide police services in the 21st Century.
Today’s officers stand in a long line of dedicated professionals who have served over the decades and protected the town through its long, colorful history.
226 North James Street
Newport, Delaware 19804
Phone Number: (302) 995-1411
Dispatch Phone Number: (302) 573 – 2800
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