DEWEY BEACH, Del. - A 26-page independent study of the Dewey Beach Police Department finds the agency has made significant improvements since a critical report released in 2019.
Both the 2019 and 2025 reports were written by former Delaware State Police Capt. Gregory Warren and examine the department’s leadership, operations and workplace culture. Police Chief Constance Speake joined the department in 2023 and says the agency has undergone a complete overhaul since the earlier review.
“It was very important because they had done this analysis in 2019 and listed so many things that were a problem that needed to be addressed that had not been addressed,” Speake said.
The 2019 report cited infighting and outdated methods of policing within the department. Speake says those issues have since been addressed through new leadership, updated policies and changes in department culture.
“We had to change everything from policy and procedure to uniforms, to how we interacted with the town staff,” Speake said. “Myself and the town manager get along very well. We work very well together.”
Warren’s 2025 analysis supports that assessment, describing current relationships within the department and with town leadership as professional and a “breath of fresh air” compared to the past.
Under Delaware law, all police departments in the state are required to be accredited to by 2028. The Dewey Beach Police Department completed its accreditation assessment Feb. 4. Speake says she expects to receive the results in April.
The 2019 report included 35 recommendations for improvement. The 2025 report lists five recommendations, including conducting an annual workplace climate survey.
Speake says she already meets regularly with officers to address workplace concerns.
“I currently do a one-on-one with my employees already, asking them what I can do to make their job better as a chief,” she said.
The 2025 report also recommends prioritizing department spending on hiring officers or increasing salaries rather than on "optional" items that are "not necessarily needed." Speake says the department’s budget is now in a strong position.
“After three years of building all this up, we’re in a good spot now,” she said. “There’s enough money in the budget for us to do what we need to do with it.”
Under Delaware law, all police departments in the state are required to be accredited to by 2028. The Dewey Beach Police Department completed its accreditation assessment Feb. 4. Speake says she expects to receive the results in April.