LEWES, Del. - Members of the Lewes Police Department have issued a unanimous vote of no confidence in City Manager Ellen Lorraine McCabe, citing concerns over recent promotional appointments within the department.
Fraternal Order of Police letter
The police union filed a formal grievance, accusing McCabe of bypassing administrative input and instructing the police chief to keep the decisions confidential.
“The promotional appointments were hand selected by the City Manager without the support of the Administrative Staff, and the Chief of Police was ordered to secrecy,” a union representative said in a statement.
Lewes Mayor Amy Marasco acknowledged the dispute, calling it not uncommon in organizations and expressed confidence in the city’s process to address the issue.
Mayor and City Council response
“We’re supportive of our police force, our police chief, and our city manager,” Marasco said. “We respect the union process and are confident we’ll reach a resolution that works for everyone.”
Still, union officials warn the situation has severely damaged morale and "will no doubt" impact recruitment and retention within the department.
Marasco emphasized that public safety is not at risk and described the conflict as a personnel matter that will be handled appropriately.
City Manager Response
City Manager McCabe, in her own statement, said, "Mayor & City Council have been briefed on the grievances filed by the Union and are working through the final step of the mutually agreed-upon grievance process."