Delaware River and Bay Authority

Not to be confused with Delaware River Basin Commission, Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, or Delaware River Port Authority.

Delaware River and Bay Authority
Agency overview
Formed	1961
Jurisdiction	Delaware and New Jersey
Headquarters	P.O. Box 71, New Castle, DE 19720
Agency executive	Jim Johnson, Director
Website
www.drba.net

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.

Police department

Delaware River and Bay Authority Police patch

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.

History

The Department was formed in 1951 as the Delaware Memorial Bridge Police Department. After a compact 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.

Fallen officers

Since the establishment of the Delaware River and Bay Authority Police Department, 2 officers have died in the line of duty:^[1]

• 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

References

1. ^ The Officer Down Memorial Page

External links

• Delaware River and Bay Authority (official website)

Coordinates: 39°41′45″N 75°32′44″W / 39.695892°N 75.545458°W / 39.695892; -75.545458