DELAWARE STATE POLICE Honor Guard
The Honor Guard Unit currently consists of 60 members statewide. In 2005 the Unit participated in 15 funerals and 11 other events sponsored by the Division such as DSP ceremonies, conferences, and graduations.
In 2005 the Unit represented the Division at two Pennsylvania State Troopers’ funerals. Corporal Daniel Lightner was killed by an IED while serving his country in Iraq. Corporal Robert Porkorny was murdered while making a traffic stop outside the Pittsburgh city limits. The Division was represented by 11 members of the Honor Guard Unit at both funerals.
In 2005 the Honor Guard Unit returned to mandatory training sessions for all members. During the year three training dates consisting of four training stations for pallbearers, casket watch, rifle teams and color guards were held.
The Honor Guard Unit continues to recruit new members seeking troopers of sound character who represent themselves with good military bearing, demonstrate exceptional maintenance of their uniforms, and possessing a willingness to give their time to represent the Division.
Pipes & Drums
The Delaware State Police Pipes & Drums is a division of the DSP Honor Guard Unit and currently has 18 performing members, which includes three civilian instructors. In addition to the 18 performing members the band also has six troopers in training on bagpipes and four Divisional members who are in the drum training program. Captain Robert Coupe is the Officer-In-Charge of the Pipes & Drums and Corporals Millard Greer and Scott Mauchin share the Pipe Sergeant duties and are in charge of the band during performances in the absence of the Pipe Major and instructor Robert Galloway. The DSP Pipes & Drums played at 60 events in 2005.
Mr. Robert Galloway has been the volunteer pipe instructor since the band’s inception in December of 2001. The drum corps is instructed by volunteer Mr. John McKinnon who joined the band in September 2004. In December of 2004 the band initiated a recruiting effort for drummers and as a result there were 12 Divisional members that participated in the drum training program. In October of 2004 Mr. Jim Gallagher joined the band as our second volunteer bagpipe instructor. Mr. Gallagher is a retired NYFD Firefighter and was a member of the NYFD Pipes & Drums. Mr. Gallagher resides in Sussex County and started instructing nine troopers from our Kent and Sussex County troops on the bagpipes. There are currently six troopers in bagpipe training at Troop 4. Several of the troopers in the Troop 4 program have purchased their bagpipes and hopefully will be performing with the band in the fall of 2006. Two members of the Dover Police Department also attend the bagpipe training at Troop 2.
On May 21, 2005 the DSP Pipes & Drums competed in a regional pipe band competition conducted by the Eastern United States Pipe Band Association (EUSPBA) at the Colonial Highland Gathering in Fair Hills, Maryland where the band finished 7th overall in the Grade 5 competition of 15 bands.
Corporal Helen Zane and Sergeant Melissa Hukill began tenor drum training in September in North East, Maryland. Sergeant Hukill and Corporal Zane are taking lessons from Mr. Matthew McConnell a well-known drum instructor who instructs at a drum college in North Carolina during the summer months. They hope to perform with the band in the spring of 2006.
The band played at 13 police funerals in 2005 which included a large number of DSP retirees’ funerals. In January 2005 the DSP Pipes & Drums were invited to play with NJSP Pipes & Drums at the funeral of a NJSP trooper who died of cancer while on active duty. In February 2005 three pipers from the DSP Pipes & Drums were invited to play at the funeral services of a US Army soldier who was killed in Iraq.
In May of 2005 the DSP Pipes & Drums participated in the Law Enforcement Memorial ceremonies in Washington, DC. Members of the band participated in the Candlelight Vigil, the LEM Pipe Band March and on the third day of the Service played on the steps of the United States Capitol during the National Police Officers Memorial Service.
The band continues to honor requests for playing at the opening ceremonies of Divisional events and at community events that involve the DSP.
