DELAWARE STATE POLICE PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE

The Division’s Public Information Office (PIO) is responsible for responding to media inquiries, coordinating press conferences and public events, assisting field personnel with local media relations, and serving as a liaison on public relations matters with other governmental agencies. The Office strives to educate the public, tout the Division’s accomplishments, and improve public relations by producing and disseminating accurate and timely information through field programs, media contacts, public service announcements, and the annual report. The Newsroom, which is maintained by the Public Information Office on the Delaware State Police web page, greatly enhances the dissemination of information to the media and public. Sergeant Melissa Zebley is the Director of the Public Information Office.

During 2005 the public information office disseminated in excess of 1,500 written releases of information. Two incidents drew extensive regional media attention and tested the resources of the Public Information Office. In April an armed male was apprehended by the Wicomico Sheriff’s Department following a two state shooting spree that originated in Laurel, Delaware in which one person was killed and five individuals were injured.

The other incident was a mid-air collision of two planes over the Delaware Bay just off the shores of the Cape Henlopen State Park in early July. One plane and pilot were recovered on the day of the incident however the second plane and pilot were recovered after an extensive two day search by the DSP dive team.

In additional to serving as a resource to the media by disseminating news releases and providing weekly radio and television interviews, troopers assigned to the Public Information Office are tasked with additional duties including drafting letters of correspondence to the public and other police agencies, ceremonies, and orchestrating promotional ceremonies.

The Public Information Office is also responsible for conducting a fall and spring Citizens Police Academy. The Academy includes nearly 25 hours of instruction. Objectives of the program are to expose citizens to some of the entry-level training received by troopers in order to provide participants with the rationale behind police actions.